
Class _iiV_JJLJLD 

Book / W45 

Copyright N° 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



" rpHE Public School, by rea- 
son of the independence of 
Church and State, is unable to en- 
force the highest moral standards 
because it * is unable to avail it- 
self of the effective influence of re- 
ligion. 

' ' The lack of religious restraints, 
more than that, the lack of relig- 
ious inspiration in the pursuit of 
high ideals, is generally acknowl- 
edged to be a serious defect in the 
American system of public educa- 
tion." 



From Report of the 
Special Committee of 
the Federal Council. 



RELIGIOUS 


EDUCATION 


and the 


PUBLIC SCHOOL 


An American Problem 


By George U. Wenner 


NEW YORK 


NEW EDITION 


Revised and enlarged, giving the action of the 

Federal Council of the Churches of Christ 

in America in 1912 


AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY 


150 NASSAU STREET, NEW YORK 



^ 5 . 



^>* 






Copyright, 1907 and 1913 
By Geoegb U. Wbnnbb 



©CI.A354314 



22 

if 

2 



To 

My First Teacher In Religion 

My Revered Mother 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Foreword « . vii 

I. The Problem 1 

II. Historical Review 4 

III. In Other Lands 22 

IV. The Church's Responsibility . . 26 
V. "A Week-day Sunday-school" . . 39 

VI. "Lions in the Way" 46 

VII. The Child Catechumenate ... 56 

VIII. A Course of Study 79 

IX. The Bible Story 82 

X. The Catechism 95 

XI. The Goal 106 

XII. A Solution Ill 

Views and Comments 119 

Appendix 167 

Religious Instruction and the Public 

School 167 

Report of the Special Committee . .184 



FOREWORD 



AT the meeting of the Inter-Church Con- 
ference in Carnegie Hall, New York, in 
November, 1905, at which twenty-nine Protes- 
tant Churches of America were represented, 
one of the papers treated the question of Week- 
day Religious Instruction. Its main proposi- 
tion was favorably received, and the following 
resolution was adopted by the Conference: 

Resolved, That in the need of more systematic 
education in religion, we recommend for the fa- 
vorable consideration of the Public School authori- 
ties of the country the proposal to allow the chil- 
dren to absent themselves without detriment from 
the public schools on Wednesday or on some other 
afternoon of the school week for the purpose of 
attending religious instruction in their own 
churches; and we urge upon the churches the ad- 
visability of availing themselves of the opportunity 
so granted to give such instruction in addition to 
that given on Sunday. 

The further consideration of the subject was 
referred to the Executive Committee. By direction 
of this Committee a report on Week-day Instruc- 
tion in Religion was presented at the First Meet- 
ing of the Federal Council of the Churches of 
Christ in America, held in Philadelphia in 1908. 
vii 



viii Religious Education 

After an earnest discussion, resolutions were 
adopted indicating the importance which the rep- 
resentatives of the churches of America attached 
to the general question. These resolutions may be 
found on page 190. 

At the Second Meeting of the Federal Council, 
held in Chicago in December, 1912, the Special 
Committee of the Federal Council presented a re- 
port, the gist of which may be found on pages 
184-190. 

This report recognizes the difficulties confront- 
ing an adequate solution of the question and pro- 
vides for a more thorough investigation and discus- 
sion of the entire subject. 

In his report for 1909 (Vol. I, page 5), 
the United States Commissioner of Education, 
Dr. Elmer Ellsworth Brown, refers to this 
subject in the following words: 

Those who would maintain that the moral life 
has other rootings than that in religion, would, 
for the most part, admit that it is deeply rooted in 
religion, and that for many of our people its 
strongest motives are to be found in their re- 
ligious convictions; that many, in fact, would re- 
gard it as insufficiently grounded and nourished 
without such religious convictions. The teaching 
of religious systems is no longer under serious 
consideration as far as our public schools are con- 
cerned. Historical and social influences have 
drawn a definite line in this country between the 
public schools and the churches, leaving the rights 
and responsibilities of religious instruction to the 
latter. It would be futile, even if it were desir- 



Foreword ix 

able, to attempt to revise this decision of the 
American people. There has been, however, within 
the past two or three years a wide-spread dis- 
cussion of the proposal that arrangements be made 
between the educational authorities and ecclesias- 
tical organizations, under which pupils should be 
excused from the schools for one half-day in the 
week — Wednesday afternoon has been suggested 
— in order that they may in that time receive re- 
ligious and moral instruction in their several 
churches. This proposal has been set forth in 
detail by the Rev. George U. Wenner, D.D., in a 
volume entitled "Religious Education and the Pub- 
lic School" (see the list of references at the end 
of this chapter), and has been under consideration 
by a representative committee during the past two 
or three years. 

A good deal of interest attaches to this pro- 
posal, which is closely related to the practice fol- 
lowed in the public schools of St. Louis many 
years ago during the superintendency of Dr. 
William T. Harris. Whether the plan is workable 
on a large scale or not, under American conditions, 
can only be determined by a fair trial in commu- 
nities in which public sentiment clearly supports 
the experiment. It is not to be supposed that it 
will even be put upon its trial in the absence of 
such public sentiment. In any community which 
should provide for the withdrawal of pupils from 
the public schools, by their parents, for such hours 
of religious instruction, it is fair to expect that 
emphasis will be laid by the religious teachers 
upon those moral values which are the immediate 
concern of the State; and these hours, moreover, 
should be utilized by the school authorities for 
such serious and well-considered moral instruction 



x Religious Education 

as may properly be given to those pupils who, by 
their parents' choice, should spend them in the 
public school under the care of their regular 
teachers. 

In 1910 Mr. Frank F. Bunker, Superin- 
tendent of Schools in Berkeley, California, de- 
livered an address to the representatives of the 
churches of that city, which with his kind per- 
mission is presented in the Appendix. (See 
page 167.) 

This book is an attempt to present glimpses 
of the history, principles and methods of 
week-day instruction in Religion, and it ad- 
vocates a plan which the author believes to 
be practicable and in harmony with the fun- 
damental principles of both Church and State 
in America. That there are difficulties in 
the wa} T , no one will deny, but the impor- 
tance of the question, its relation not only to 
the well-being but the very existence of a 
Christian Church, will continue to give it a 
place on the program of every Christian 
council. 

G. U. W. 



THE PROBLEM 



npWO questions are settled in the minds 
of American Christians. One is that 
there can be no true edu- 

, • • , i . i • Contradictory 

cation without religion. Propositions 
The other is that we must 
have a public school, open to all children 
without regard to creed. These two propo- 
sitions appear to contradict one another. 
The problem is how to reconcile them. 

When our country was young, and 
Protestantism was the prevailing type of 
religion, these two ideas dwelt peaceably 
together. The founders of the Republic 
had no theory of education from which 
religion was divorced. But the in- 
flux of millions of people of other faiths 
compels us to revise our methods and to 
test them by our principles, the principles 
of a free Church within a free State. 
Roman Catholics and Jews object to 



2 Religious Education 

our traditions and charge us with incon- 
sistency. If temporarily we are able to 
withstand their objections, we feel that a 
great victory has been won for religion 
when a psalm is read and the Lord's 
Prayer said at the opening of the daily 
session of school. We still have "re- 
ligion" in the public school. 

But the problem remains. On the one 
hand, those who doubt the propriety of 
introducing any religious instruction, how- 
ever attenuated, into the public school, 
are not satisfied with the compromise. 
There are judicial decisions which place 
even the reading of the Bible under the 
head of sectarian instruction. 

On the other hand, those who believe 
that religion has a supreme place in the 
education of a child, and that provision 
should therefore be made for it in its 
school life, realize the inadequacy of the 
present methods. 

As Herbert Spencer says: "To prepare 
Aim of us f° r complete living is the 

Education function which education has 
to discharge." Character rather tham 



The Problem 3 

acquirement is the chief aim of education. 
Hence we cannot ignore the place of 
religion in education without doing vio- 
lence to the ultimate purpose of education. 

The importance of the question is ad- 
mitted on all sides. But it remains a 
complex and difficult problem. Thus 
far, at least, with all our talent for practical 
measures, we have not succeeded in 
reaching a solution. 

The question of religious instruction, 
however, is by no means new. It is as 
old as Christianity. It may therefore 
be well to inquire in what way other ages 
have treated it. On this subject each 
of the great periods of Christian history 
has given an answer. 



n 

HISTORICAL REVIEW 

TN the early ages, Christian nurture 
was a family duty. In his letter to 
Family the Ephesians, Paul urges 

Training fathers to nurture their chil- 

dren "in the chastening and admonition 
of the Lord." In his letter "unto the 
elect lady and her children," John ex- 
presses his joy at rinding "certain of thy 
children walking in truth." When Paul 
reminded Timothy of the "unfeigned 
faith which dwelt first in thy grandmother 
Lois and thy mother Eunice," we are 
justified in inferring a Christian training. 
Christ's own words, (Mark 10), not only 
included a caution to the disciples, but 
were a direct command to the parents. 

The obligation of Christian nurture 
thus imposed by Christ and His Apostles 
was gladly accepted by the members of 
the early church, especially by the mothers. 



Historical Review 5 

The names of Emmelia the mother of 
Basil, Arethusa the mother of Chrysostom, 
and Monica the mother of Augustine, are 
eminent in the history of Christian family 
nurture. 

In the writings of the Fathers we have 
occasional glimpses of the character and 
effect of this family training.* Polycarp 
writes: "Teach your women to bring up 
the children in the fear of the Lord." 
Hermas is blamed because he had not 
rightly instructed his children. The mar- 
tyrs Paeon and Euelpistus were brought 
before a heathen judge, Rusticus, who 
asked them from whom they had learned 
Christianity. They replied, "From the 
women have we received this beautiful 
doctrine." Origen was instructed in the 
Scriptures from childhood by his father 
Leonidas. Every day he had to learn 
certain doctrines and a Bible story. 
Tertullian speaks of the children of 
Christians as holy not only by the priv- 
ilege of birth but also by the discipline of 
their training. Clement of Alexandria 

• See Sachsse, Lehre von der Kirchlichen Erziehung, p. 100. 



6 Religious Education 

demands that children should be trained 
by means of Bible examples and by fear. 
The Apostolical Constitutions prescribe 
to parents the duty of instructing their 
children in the Old and New Testaments, 
and of bringing them up in the fear of 
God. Chrysostom frequently admonishes 
his hearers to tell the Bible stories to 
their children. Basil the Great was in- 
structed from childhood in the Christian 
faith by his father, his mother and his 
grandmother Macrina. 

From these illustrations it seems clear 
that family training was the signature of 
the religious education of the early church. 

In the Middle Ages the Christian 
school took the place of family training. 
The Christian The migrations of the nations 
School disorganized social and family 

life, and made it necessary to find 
other means of reaching the children. 
The earliest schools were in connection 
with the monasteries. In 813 Charle- 
magne procured the passage of a resolu- 
tion by the Council of Mainz that parent^ 
should be admonished to send their 



Historical Review 7 

children to school, either to the monastery 
or to their own pastors. Other synods 
followed in these recommendations and 
enlarged the scope of the training. But 
the indolence and the ignorance of the min- 
isters were the chief obstacles in the way 
of realizing the ideals of that enlightened 
and truly great emperor, Charlemagne. 
He was great as a military conqueror, 
but he was still greater as a Christian 
educator. 

Four centuries later another step was 
taken, when the Synod of Besier, in 1246, 
established a sort of Sunday-school, by 
ordering that all children seven years old 
and upward, should be brought to church 
by their parents to be instructed in the 
Christian faith. Incidentally the parents 
were also reached by this method. 

Twenty-four years later Bishop Engel- 
bert of K6ln published the scheme of a 
well-organized school in his "Rules for 
Sextons and Schoolmasters." Instruc- 
tion was to be given for five hours daily, 
principally in religion and morals, but also 
in all kinds of worldly subjects. 



8 Religious Education 

A century later John Gerson marked 
an epoch in the history of the instruction 
of children in religion. He was born 
in 1363, was brought up by pious parents, 
and received his education in Paris. He 
was not only a very learned man, but also 
a man of courage, contending bravely 
against existing evils in the church. He 
was the Spener of his day, not only in his 
zeal for practical Christianity, but also 
in his methods. His chief delight was to 
teach the children. His tract, "On Bring- 
ing the Little Ones to Christ," has helped 
to perpetuate his memory. In his old 
age he often gathered the children about 
him in the monastery of Lyons, and when 
he saw his end approaching, he sent 
once more for the children in order that 
he might pray with them. He died on 
the 12th of July, 1429. 

The larger life that followed the Cru- 
sades led to the establishment of Latin 
schools in the cities all over Europe. 
These were secular, and were under the 
control of the city authorities. But their 
existence, together with the general en- 



Historical Review 9 

largement of intellectual life, emphasized 
the necessity of better systems of religious 
instruction. Numerous efforts were 
made in this direction, but the constant 
complaint was that the ministers were 
too indolent and were unwilling to under- 
take the work. 

The invention of printing popularized 
a number of catechetical treatises, such 
as "The Road to Heaven," _ 

Catechisms 

"Mirror for Christians" and 

"Threefold Cord," explanations of 
the Creed, the Lord's Prayer and the 
Ten Commandments. These booklets 
produced a wide-spread interest in the 
subject during the period immediately 
preceding the Reformation. John Fred- 
erick, subsequently the staunch and 
pious Elector of Saxony, got his father's 
permission to attend the catechetical 
classes in Torgau on Sunday afternoons 
in 1511, and Luther taught the catechism 
in public before he ever thought of 
a Reformation. Matthesius relates that 
Luther as a child at school had learned 
the Commandments, the Creed and the 



10 Religious Education 

Lord's Prayer, as well as grammar and 
some Christian hymns. 

Sponsors in baptism also played an 
important part in the work of Christian 
instruction. The office was not nominal. 
It had its distinct duties, and where its 
original ideas were carried out, proved 
a helpful agency. In sporadic cases 
family training was restored toward the 
end of the Middle Ages, especially a nong 
the Waldensians, the Wiclifites and the 
Hussites. 

The Reformation was a spiritual rather 
than an intellectual movement. But in 
order to a right faith, it was necessary 
The that there should be a right 

Reformation knowledge of God. Hence 
religious education early received a lead- 
ing place in the program of the Reforma- 
tion. The Pre -Reformation period had 
indeed recognized the importance of the 
subject. Here and there its greatest 
teachers had emphasized its importance 
and had pointed out the way. There 
were not lacking synodical resolutions 
for the direction of the churches. But the 



Historical Review 11 

problem was not solved by the church 
of the Middle Ages. 

The Reformers early devised systematic 
methods of imparting religious instruc- 
tion to the young. The agents for this 
work were first, the pastors, and sec- 
ondly, the schools. 

In 1527 Melanchthon prescribed for 
ministers the preaching of sermons on the 
Creed, the Lord's Prayer and the Com- 
mandments. A regular portion of the 
catechism was to be explained in the 
form of a sermon. This sermon was 
delivered sometimes after the regular 
sermon, sometimes before. In the course 
of time, Sunday afternoon was set apart 
for the sermon on the catechism. The 
usual order of the service was: Recitation, 
Questions and Explanations, and the 
Sermon. To a certain extent the house- 
hold-training of the early church was 
restored, inasmuch as parents were ex- 
pected to teach their children the text of 
the catechism. But the work of ex- 
planation was left to the pastor. 

Very soon it wag found that Sunday 



12 Religious Education 

was not enough for this work, and one 
or more week-days were set apart on 
Week-Day which religious instruction 

Classes wa§ ^ Q ^ gj yen to t J ie ^J. 

dren. An examination was held four 
times a year. 

This method was generally adopted 
by the churches, and in most places it 
was in full operation prior to 1534. 
What Charlemagne had longed for in 
the ninth century was carried out by 
Luther seven hundred years later. 

But the pastors alone were not equal 
to the work. They needed help. In the 
cities this was easily secured by reorgan- 
izing the existing schools. In 1520 Lu- 
ther demanded that the chief subject in 
the schools should be the Holy Scriptures, 
In 1524 he made an appeal to the Councils 
of all the German cities to establish and 
maintain Christian schools. As the 
princes had no time for this work — they 
had to go sleigh-riding and attend to their 
sports — the city authorities should meet 
this crying need. In 1530 he made an- 
other appeal, this time to the parents. 



Historical Review 13 

They should not be satisfied with having 
their children learn arithmetic and read- 
ing, so as to become merchants and get 
rich. If that was the way it was going 
to be done in Germany, he would feel 
sorry that he was born a German. 

Many cities responded to this appeal 
and established schools in which religion 
became the chief subject of instruction. 
In 1528 Melanchthon published for the 
use of these schools his "Instructions 
for Inspectors and Pastors." These in- 
structions were revised and approved 
by Bugenhagen and Luther. 

In the villages the task was more dif- 
ficult. The need was recognized, but 
many years passed before the plans were 
effectively carried out. In the country 
districts around Wittenberg, it was pre- 
scribed as early as 1528 that the sexton in 
every village should be required to give 
instruction on week-days on the Com- 
mandments, the Creed and the Lord's 
Prayer, and also in the singing of hymns. 

Parents were required to send their 
children to this instruction. The sexton 



14 Religious Education 

thus came into prominence as the pas- 
tor's assistant in the villages. In 1533 
all Saxony followed the example of Wit- 
tenberg, in 1535 Pomerania, in 1543 
Brunswick, in 1573 Brandenburg, in 1559 
Wurttemberg. 

This was the rule on paper at least. In 
point of fact, prior to the Thirty Years' 
War there were but few village schools. 
After the war, pious princes made re- 
newed efforts to establish them. In this 
they were supported by the Pietistic 
movement. But it was reserved for a 
later period to realize the hopes and ex- 
pectations of the Reformers. 

It was Francke's genial spirit that gave 
A Bohemian practical direction to the new 
Bishop ideas of the christian school, 

and his name will always be associated 
with the history of modern education. 
But the real author of its principles was 
John Amos Comenius, the last Bishop of 
the Bohemian Brethren. He was born 
in 1592 and died in 1670. One of the 
most learned men of his times, he excelled 
in many directions, but his chief claim to 



Historical Review 15 

enduring fame is the contribution which 
he made to the science of teaching. His 
views on education had been committed 
to paper while he and his churches were 
exiles. They were called forth by the 
desire to give to his people, in the training 
of Christian children, something that 
could not be taken away when they should 
again be restored to their homes. That 
time never came. For decades the man- 
uscripts lay unused and forgotten in 
their hiding place, and their author died, 
having apparently planned and lived 
in vain. 

A quarter of a century after his death, 
the seed which he had sown began to 
grow. Francke, Rousseau and Pesta- 
lozzi in all probability got their ideas 
from Comenius, and what had seemed a 
failure became the permanent possession 
of the modern world. 

As a result of these principles, educa- 
tional methods Underwent a Revolution in 

complete revolution in the Methods 
eighteenth century. This first became 
apparent in the period of Illuminism, 



16 Religious Education 

(Aufklaerung) , the forerunner of Ration- 
alism. The chief exponent was Basedow, 
with an elementary work in 1770, and 
four volumes in 1774. Acting upon a 
suggestion of Rousseau, he laid down the 
principle that education must accord with 
nature. He condemned mechanical mem- 
orization of uncomprehended sentences. 
Instruction must lead to the knowledge of 
things. The mind must be strengthened 
by observation and discrimination. Mem- 
ory is to be subordinated to the under- 
standing. In religion, the doctrines com- 
mon to all nations are to be distinguished 
from those of Revelation. The former 
are to be taught in school, the latter in 
church. The common doctrines of relig- 
ion are three: 1. There is a Providence. 
2. There is a future life. 3. This future 
life is obtained by being good in this life. 
Hence children should early be taught to 
be good. 

The application of Basedow's principles 
to religious instruction was made by 
Salzmann (1780). Religion is a state of 
mind which appreciates things at their 



Historical Review 17 

real worth. It must not be based on the 
events that took place eighteen hundred 
years ago. Teach children to study na- 
ture, and then they will appreciate the 
teachings of the Bible. Tell them of 
God's love and then of His command- 
ments. Learning texts and studying 
books makes them hate religion. Tell 
them stories in the way that Jesus did. 
Bible stories are not suitable because of 
their orientalism. Robinson Crusoe is 
better. Connect religious sentiments with 
his adventures. Finally, lead to faith in 
the Divine revelation in Christ, not by 
dogmatic statements but by telling of His 
life and works. Faith in Christ is one 
thing, acceptance of dogmatic statements 
is another thing. 

These methods were a mixture of 
truth and error. On the one hand, 
Christianity is not an unintelligible eccle- 
siasticism. The reason must be culti- 
vated. Christ is to be known as a Person 
and not as a dogma. On the other hand, 
the conception of Christianity as a mere 
doctrine was incomplete. 



18 Religious Education 

In this connection mention must also 
be made of Baron von Rochow, who 
established a village school on his estates, 
in which the merits but not the faults of 
Illuminism were seen; and of Pestalozzi, 
whose practical efforts were such complete 
failures, but who gave seed-thoughts that 
are still bringing forth fruit. 

The changes produced by the combined 
influences of the eighteenth century were 
very great. Thoro training was re- 
quired of teachers. Normal schools were 
established. Attendance at school, form- 
erly optional, became obligatory. Me- 
chanical memorization was condemned. 
School used to be a purgatory for children, 
it was turned into a paradise. Above all, 
there was a definite aim. In religion, the 
aim was development of character. In 
secular training, the aim was to fit for 
the practical duties of life. 

The year 1695 marks a new step in the 
history of religious education. In this 
Francke's year August Hermann 
Schools Francke established his 

School for the Poor in Glaucha. To this 



Historical Review 19 

he soon added a Public School, a Latin 
High School and a Normal School with a 
postgraduate annex. For these schools 
and for his Orphans' House he required 
teachers. He trained them himself, and 
within three years he had fifty-six teachers 
at work in his institutions. 

Francke was a master teacher. His 
aim was the development of character. 
Instruction was only the means to this 
end. His system included the study of 
nature, and provided for manual training, 
for girls as well as boys. He is the 
founder of the Christian public school. 
In 1763 Frederick the Great adopted his 
system for Prussia. 

It must be evident that these two 
centuries, from Luther to Pestalozzi, 
witnessed great progress in the matter of 
religious education. Luther had simply 
continued the method of the Middle Ages. 
While he appreciated the value of the 
Bible Story, and as we shall see later, 
commended its use, he put the emphasis 
of his instruction where the church for 
a thousand years before him had placed 



20 Religious Education 

it, on the Commandments, the Creed 
and the Lord's Prayer. 

The seventeenth century was the era 
of catechisms with Questions and An- 
swers. In definitions, and definitions of 
definitions, the pages multiplied to an 
almost interminable extent. Some cate- 
chisms had literally thousands of ques- 
tions and answers. Even Spener, other- 
wise a good teacher, contributed little 
toward a better method. 

But with Francke and the later Pie- 
tists, in the eighteenth century, under the 
influence of the principles to which we 
have referred, came new suggestions as 
to the aim and the method of catechisa- 
tion. Rationalism, it is true, was a co- 
worker in the reformation of methods, 
but it failed to reach the conceded aim, 
the development of character, because it 
departed from historical Christianity. 

The nineteenth century clarified and 
put into practice the ideas which the 
eighteenth century suggested. The em- 
phasis was no longer placed on memoriz- 
ing doctrinal statements. Bible History, 



Historical Review 21 

the objective facts of Christianity, became 
the starting point, the foundation of 
Christian instruction. 

Our own times are witnessing an in- 
tense interest in both the theory and 
practice of teaching. But the strangest 
feature in the history of this movement 
is that while it originated in the church, 
and was developed by its ministers for 
the purpose of building up the church, 
and for the promotion of religious life, 
the church of to-day seems to be the last 
to derive any benefit from it. We have 
not a few churches where the method of 
teaching the catechism is that of the 
seventeenth century. We have theolog- 
ical seminaries from which candidates for 
the ministry are graduated who are 
unable to teach a class of children in ac- 
cordance with approved pedagogical 
principles. We cannot conceal from our- 
selves the fact that in America at least, 
Religious Education, as compared with 
secular instruction, does not occupy the 
queenly position to which its origin and his- 
tory, as well as its exalted aims, entitle it. 



Ill 

IN OTHER LANDS 

TN the matter of education the position 

of preceptor mundi has for centuries 

been conceded to Germany. 

Germany . . ~ 

For information as to the 
present condition of religious education in 
that empire I am indebted to Dr. Sachsse, 
Professor in the University of Bonn. 

In Germany religious instruction is a 
part of the regular curriculum of the 
public school. It is either Evangelical, 
(Protestant), or Catholic, in the sense in 
which these churches understand it, de- 
nominationally dogmatic therefore, and 
not humanistic. In elementary schools 
there are from thirty to thirty- two hours 
of instruction during the week. From 
four to six of these hours are devoted to 
religion, usually the first hours of the 
forenoon. In the high schools, (gymna- 
siums, colleges), there are also thirty-two 



In Other Lands 23 

hours of instruction. In the lower classes, 
three of these hours are devoted to re- 
ligion; in the higher classes, two. For 
home work, the pupil is expected to de- 
vote about half an hour to each lesson. 
In addition to the religious instruction 
given at school, the minister devotes two 
hours a week to advanced classes for a 
year or two prior to confirmation. 

In England the question at the present 
time is in a state of flux. Hitherto, thru 
a system of National and Board 
schools, religious education 
was provided for every child. Whatever 
the outcome may be of the present dis- 
cussion, there will be no diminution of 
religious instruction for the children of 
England. 

In France the state of equilibrium has 
also not yet been found. Professor Me- 
negoz of the University of 
Paris has kindly sent me an 
account of the present situation. Re- 
ligious instruction is not given in the 
public school. But, besides Sundays, 
Thursdays are given to the churches for the 



24 Religious Education 

purpose of imparting religious instruction 
in their own buildings. On these days the 
children do not attend the public school. 

There are also denominational private 
schools, — ecoles libres — , where religious 
as well as secular instruction is given, but 
these are declining in number and in- 
fluence. It has been found impossible 
to compete with the large resources of 
the public school. 

In the secondary schools, {Colleges and 
Lycees), religious instruction is given by 
ministers, usually the pastores loci, who 
receive a small salary from the govern- 
ment. But this is regarded only as an 
unavoidable expedient. 

As for the universities, recent develop- 
ments have led to the exclusion of religion 
from them, but there is a "Section des 
sciences religieuses" in the " Ecole des 
Hautes-Etudes" , which maintains lecture- 
ships on religion in the Sorbonne. 

For an account of the con- 

Sweden ■..,. • c J T 

ditions m Sweden, I am 
indebted to Dr. von Scheele, the Bishop 
of Gothland. 



In Other Lands 25 

Religious instruction is given during 
the eight months of the school year. 
The average number of hours per week 
is five. The subjects are : the Catechism, 
Bible Story, Bible Reading with oral ex- 
planations, and Church Song. In the 
higher schools, and in the upper classes 
of the other schools, Church History is 
also a part of the curriculum. 

The proportion of time allotted to 
religious instruction is one-sixth, that is, 
over sixteen per cent. For home study, 
the children usually require an hour a 
day for their lessons in religion. 



IV 

THE CHURCH'S RESPONSIBILITY 

TN America religious instruction has by 
judicial decision been excluded from 
the public school. Roman Catholics, 
Moravians and some Lutherans maintain 
parochial schools. 

Other churches have to a great extent 
delegated the work of instruction to the 
The Ameri- Sunday-school. This is a vol- 
can System un tary organization, connect- 
ed with the church, but to a large degree 
independent of it. Its hour of instruction, 
or rather its fraction of an hour, is con- 
fined to the first day of the week. So 
great is its influence and relative efficiency, 
that if one were asked what is the Ameri- 
can system of religious instruction, the 
answer in most cases would be: "The 
Sunday-school." 

In shifting this task to the Sunday- 
school, the church has transferred its own 

26 



The Church's Responsibility 27 

burden to weaker shoulders, and to an 
institution that was not established for 
this purpose. 

The work of religious instruction prop- 
erly belongs to the family. It was there 
that we found it in early Duty of 
Christian history. There it the Family 
belongs in the nature of the case. No 
plan of religious education can be per- 
manently successful that does not empha- 
size the obligation of the family, and that 
does not aim at the maintenance of 
family religion. 

But next to the family stands the 
church with its function as a teacher of 
religion. We make no claims _ __ , 

« . . . The Church 

for special rights and privi- 
leges of the church as an institution. 
Protestantism views the church rather as 
a fellowship of believers, a "communion 
of saints." But from this very standpoint 
it is especially incumbent upon the church 
to care for the children. It is true, this 
function has been temporarily ignored 
among us, or thru a mistaken policy 
committed to other hands, to the public 



28 Religious Education 

school in its "religious exercises," and 
to the Sunday-school in its heroic effort 
to accomplish the task in an hour of 
voluntary work on Sunday. Nevertheless 
the principles of Protestantism have never 
repudiated the responsibility of the church 
to care for the Christian training of her 
children. 

If education means the formation and 
development of character, how short- 
sighted the policy that regards art, science, 
literature, morality, as the chief factors in 
education, to which may be added, as 
an eclectic, a little religion on Sundays. 
Religion, as distinguished from all other 
forces, brings us into relation with the 
life of God. The church is the organ and 
agency thru which this life is proclaimed 
and communicated. The church has 
the word, the ordinances, the fellow- 
ship of believers. To the church has 
been committed by Divine hands the re- 
sponsibility of leading men to the highest 
life. 

This is a responsibility that cannot be 
delegated to any other agency. Such a 



The Church's Responsibility 29 

fundamental thing as religious education 
should therefore be under the care of the 
church and its ministry, and should be 
so conducted as to hold in view the princi- 
ples and the aims of the church life, and 
its final purpose should be to lead the 
children into the church and to make 
them participants in its privileges and 
obligations. 

The church has always recognized 
more or less distinctly her mission in this 
respect. But there have been when the 
times also when she has failed Church Failed 
to do so. From the history of education 
it is clear that the contributions of 
the church, thru such men as Luther, Me- 
lanchthon, Comenius, Francke and Pesta- 
lozzi made the modern educational system 
possible.* The Protestant Church is the 
mother of the public school. But in the 
eighteenth century the church was not 
equal to her opportunity, and she proved 
unfaithful to her stewardship. The domi- 
nant influence in education passed over 
into the hands of those who emphasized 

*See Encyclopedia Britannica, article on Education. 



30 Religious Education 

the development of natural powers, of 
those who were not friends of Christ. 
Thru her own negligence the church 
lost her opportunity and was pushed 
aside. The methods and material which 
her spirit had created, and which her 
ministers had formed into effective tools, 
were handed over to secular agencies, and 
she herself took a subordinate place in the 
work of education. 

At the beginning of the twentieth cen- 
tury we find the curriculum of the school 
Crowded life filled to overflowing with 
° ut secular studies. It requires 

almost the strength of an athlete to 
handle all the books which the children 
carry home under their arms. The 
Superintendent of Schools has felt it 
necessary to give special instructions as 
to the best way to carry books so as to 
prevent physical injury. When here and 
there a pastor tries to get a little study in 
religion from his children, he is met with 
the plea: "We have so many school 
lessons, we cannot learn the lessons you 
give us." If he insists, he realizes that 



The Church's Responsibility 31 

his children have a double task to learn, 
and the church has to suffer. The 
church seems to have no rights which the 
school is bound to respect. 

In saying this I do not blame the school 
authorities. They simply came into an 
unoccupied field. The church failed to 
recognize her obligation, relinquished her 
week-day opportunities, made no peda- 
gogical demands on her ministry, and was 
content to play at education on Sundays. 

Roman Catholics recognize their obli- 
gation in the matter of Christian educa- 
tion, and with great sacrifices Parochial 
are endeavoring to meet it SchooU 
thru their system of parochial schools. 
All honor to them for their consistency 
and perseverance. 

Adherents of this communion claim 
that the state ought to contribute a portion 
of the school funds for the support of the 
church school. Moravians also maintain 
parochial schools, and so does a portion 
of the Lutheran Church. The Missouri 
Synod reports over a thousand teachers 
and a hundred thousand scholars. But 



32 Religious Education 

neither Moravians nor Lutherans ask for 
public money. They maintain the obli- 
gation of the state to provide general 
education, and the duty of the church to 
provide religious instruction for its mem- 
bers. 

But Protestants generally are not pre- 
pared to accept the parochial school as 
the solution. 

On the other hand, from ministers, 
conferences and church papers there 
Religion in the comes perennially the plea 
Public Schools f or "Religion in the public 
schools." If by this is meant no more 
than the reading of a psalm and the reci- 
tation of the Lord's Prayer, perhaps the 
plea may be granted, and for an indefinite 
number of years, without straining the 
constitution, we may retain "Religion in 
the public schools." 

But there are two objections. Are 
they not vital? One is denominational. 
Even if Protestants could agree on some 
ground, which is improbable, what kind 
of a conglomerate would that be which 
would be acceptable alike to Roman 



The Church's Responsibilit 33 

Catholics, Protestants, Jews and Ag- 
nostics? The thing is inconceivable. 
But there is another objection. The 
method of secular instruction differs from 
that of religious instruction. Secular 
knowledge is acquired by intellectual and 
critical powers. Religion is a matter of 
the heart and life. The holy mysteries 
of our faith cannot be taught in the atmos- 
phere of mathematics and biology. 

No; the Church and the State are 
distinct spheres. The alliance between 
the two in the past has not produced such 
results as would encourage us to renew 
or to continue the partnership for the 
future. 

There are those who think that ethical 
teaching in the public schools on week- 
days, with religious teaching in the 
churches on Sundays, will meet the want. 
No one will object to ethical teaching in 
the public school. If all that we read in 
the newspapers is true, such a course 
might properly be described as a felt 
need. But it cannot take the place of 
religion. The Christian religion is a 



34 Religious Education 

revelation in history, resting upon certain 
facts that have to be learned and com- 
municated to others. It has certain 
principles which have to be applied to 
the daily life. It is a matter for all days 
and all places, and not merely for Sun- 
days and for the sanctuary. Its relation 
to the whole life places it in the foremost 
place in the training and development 
of the young in order that its highest 
ideals may be attained. Hence, it will 
be difficult for us to conceive of a sub- 
stitute for religious instruction, or to find 
any agency other than the Christian 
church thru which it can properly and 
effectively be imparted. 

Neither is it practicable to make such 
an adjustment of denominational differ- 
ences, a composite photograph as it were 
of all religions, an American religion, to 
be taught in the public school, as would 
satisfy any of the churches. The churches 
are entitled to teach their children re- 
ligion in strict accord with their own 
convictions. 

Is the parochial school then, after all, 



The Church's Responsibility 35 

the solution of the question? Must we 
retire from the public school, separate 
ourselves from the moral and educational 
problems of society and the State, and 
thus be untrue to our entire history? 
For, as we have seen, the public school 
is the child of the Christian school. 
After spending four hundred years in 
developing a system of education for the 
people, and handing it over to the State 
for the benefit of all, are we to be de- 
prived of the privileges of our own sys- 
tem? We have no thought of doing so, 
of retiring from a school which the State 
would never have had but for the untiring 
efforts of Protestant ministers and Protes- 
tant churches. The teachers and direct- 
ors of the public school are, to a great 
extent, the members of our churches. 
Its principles are those which have been 
inculcated by our pulpits. Its most loyal 
and efficient supporters are our Protestant 
churches. There are, it is true, things of 
highest importance which the secular 
school does not supply. In order that we 
may not lose these, must we go back to 



36 Religious Education 

the private or parochial school and build 
up anew our system of education ? 

We do not ask for the teaching of re- 
ligion in the public school. On the con- 
trary, we object to a State religion. Of 
the three churches that are supposed to 
favor Christian education in the day 
school, Roman Catholics, Episcopalians 
and Lutherans, the last named certainly 
would not favor it for the public school. 
Even in Europe the tendency is distinctly 
in the direction of separating religious 
education from State control. 

In this city the public schools are over- 
crowded. There might be more room if 
the friends of the Christian school were 
to withdraw. But this would not benefit 
the public school. It increases the com- 
monwealth to mingle the classes. A 
system of separate schools is beneficial 
neither to the State nor the church. If 
Christians are to be the salt and the light 
of the world, they must be in the world 
and not out of it. The parochial school 
is not the solution. 

Does the Sunday-school meet the re- 



The Church's Responsibility 37 

quirements of religious instruction? It 
is an institution that has en- The Sunday- 
deared itself to the hearts of Sch ° o1 
millions. Originally intended for the 
half-fed waifs of an English manufactur- 
ing town, it has become among English- 
speaking people an important agency of 
religion. Apart from the instruction 
which it gives, we could not dispense with 
it as a field for the cultivation of lay 
activity, and a practical demonstration 
of the priesthood of all believers. Never- 
theless, its best friends concede its limita- 
tions. From a pedagogical standpoint, 
no one thinks of comparing it with the 
secular school. With but half an hour a 
week for instruction, even the best of 
teachers could not expect very important 
results. Its chief value lies in the personal 
influence of the teacher. But instruction 
in religion involves more than this. 

Nor does the Sunday-school reach all 
the children. Attendance is voluntary, 
and hence there is no guarantee that all 
the children of school age will obtain any 
instruction, to say nothing of graded and 



38 Religious Education 

systematic instruction, taking account of 
the entire school life, and holding in mind 
the ultimate object of instruction, the 
preparation of children for full mem- 
bership in the church. But this is one 
of the first duties of the churches, to look 
after all their children with this end in 
view. Pedobaptists are under this obli- 
gation because their children have been 
baptized, and Baptists owe it to their 
children in order that they may be bap- 
tized. 

Let us make the most of the Sunday- 
school which has providentially grown up 
among us. As a supplement and an aid 
it has untold possibilities of usefulness. 
But all its merits and advantages cannot 
close our eyes to the fact that it does not 
and cannot meet the chief requirement 
of the Christian school, the systematic 
preparation of all the children for the 
duties of church membership. 

The church cannot shirk her responsi- 
bility. Her very existence depends upon 
it. 



A WEEK-DAY SUNDAY-SCHOOL" 

WHAT solution then can be found by 
those who are seeking relief from the 
present unsatisfactory, shall we not say 
intolerable, conditions? Germany with 
her State church cannot give us the clue. 
England is herself at the present moment 
in the throes of a revolution on this 
question and cannot help us. France is 
more likely to offer a practical suggestion. 

If "infidel" France is able to give 
Thursdays to the churches, what can 
America do? Can she not give at least 
one afternoon, say Wednesday afternoon ? 

Two hours of grammar or geography 
would have to be sacrificed, but it would 
give the churches an invalu- Wednesday 
able opportunity of establish- Afternoon 
ing schools in their own buildings in which 
systematic instruction in religion could 
be given. This is asking for 8% of the 



40 Religious Education 

school hours for religion. Germany gives 
from four to six hours, or from 12 to 16%. 
Does America owe so little to the religious 
life of the nation that she cannot afford to 
surrender two hours for its perpetuation ? 
We ought not to say surrender, we ought 
to say restore. For, viewed historically, 
it is only a partial restoration of the 
time which originally belonged to the 
churches, but which under conditions that 
have been indicated, has been taken 
away from her. 

I venture to advocate the value of such 
week-day instruction from a practical 
trial of its advantages. In my ministry 
on the East Side I made use for thirty 
years of the traditional agency for the 
instruction of children, the Sunday-school, 
with additional week-day classes in the 
catechism, for the older children from 
twelve to fourteen years of age. But so 
far as a permanent religious influence 
upon the great majority of the children 
is concerned, the results were not satis- 
factory. 

About ten years ago, after several years 



"A Week-Day Sunday-School" 41 

of experiment on a smaller scale, I estab- 
lished week-day classes for all the chil- 
dren of the congregation, from five or six 
years upward. Attendance was made 
obligatory, and after a few years of patient 
insistence, the rule was generally ob- 
served. 

The hours are at four p. m. from Mondays 
to Fridays, and nine A. m. on Saturdays. 
The younger grades have but one hour 
each week. The older scholars, catechu- 
mens, from two to three hours. 

The subjects are Bible Story, Bible 
Study, (geography, history, books, etc.) 
the church catechism, hymns, prayers, 
the church liturgy or service, and oral or 
written reports of the sermon. The ob- 
ject of this course is not simply education, 
but also training in the church life, so 
as to make the children intelligent partici- 
pants in the church services, and to pre- 
pare them for the privileges of church 
membership. 

But some one will say: "Does this not 
solve your problem without encroaching 
at all on the time of the public school? 



42 Religious Education 

Why should you ask for an afternoon 
when you can take all the time there is 
left after school hours?" 

For two reasons: 

First, we get the children when they 
have already done their day's work at 
school, and are too tired to do their best 
in the Religion Hour. To learn well, 
the mind must be fresh and vigorous. Is 
it fair to the churches to give them the 
fag end of the day for religion, the crumbs 
that fall from the rich man's table ? The 
church is not a Lazarus. 

But there is another reason. Home 

study is needed for proper preparation of 

„ , the lessons in religion no less 

Home Study _ & 

than lor those 01 the secular 
school. For this demand on the child's 
time, the present curriculum of the school 
makes no provision. 

For example, from the older children, 
from thirteen years upward, the follow- 
ing weekly tasks are required: 

1. A written report of last Sunday's 
sermon. 

2. A written catechetical exercise. 



"A Week-Day Sunday-School" 43 

3. Memory work in Bible, catechism 
and hymn book, for two recitations. 

4. Written and oral report on a Bible 
story. 

5. Report on Daily Bible Readings. 

6. Miscellaneous recitations on related 
subjects. 

The younger classes have similar tasks, 
adapted to their age and capacity. 

Is this asking too much of the children ? 
What is there in this scheme that can be 
omitted, with any pretence of giving in- 
struction in religion ? 

But so long as the public school is not 
required to take note of the educational 
work which the church has to do, it 
exacts home study to the utmost capacity 
of the pupil. With the bogy of examina- 
tion and promotion constantly before the 
child's mind, the pastor finds it difficult 
to get from it the work which he has a 
right to expect. "We have so many 
school lessons," is the excuse which is 
offered and on the strength of this plea 
he reluctantly curtails his own require- 
ments. 



44 Religious Education 

Surely any loss which the children sus- 
tain in secular studies is more than com- 
pensated by their gain in religious knowl- 
edge. As one of our School Superin- 
tendents well said: "Even if the method 
of teaching should be inferior to that of 
the public school, the material is so much 
more valuable, that the child would not 
suffer any loss." 

There is one misconception of the plan 
which we find it hard to correct. The 
plan does not involve the 
C, °Schooi? blic closing of the public school 
on Wednesday afternoons, and 
turning the non-church children into the 
street. It simply asks that all children, 
who by consent of their parents attend 
the church school and bring a certificate 
of attendance, shall be excused for their 
absence from the public school. It also 
asks that the curriculum of the public 
school shall be so arranged that the 
absentees have nothing to make up, and 
shall not suffer an irreparable loss in 
their educational progress. Music, eti- 
quette, ethics, cord work, raffia, sewing 



"A Week-Day Sunday-School" 45 

or electives might be given to those who 
remain. 

On the part of the churches we can 
safely promise that our children will not 
fall behind the others in general attain- 
ments because of this change of at- 
mosphere in the middle of the week. 



VI 
"LIONS IN THE WAY" 

T^HE object of this little book is to 
bring before American Christians a 
question that must sooner or later be de- 
cided . The more thoroly the question is 
discussed, the more likely shall we be to 
reach a reasonable conclusion. Doubt- 
less there are difficulties. But they are 
not to be compared with the difficulties 
in which we shall continue to be in- 
volved so long as we do not make 
adequate preparation for the systematic 
religious education of our children. Let 
us consider some of the objections that 
are made to the proposition. 

1. On the part of the school it is claimed 
that it needs all the time it now has. We 
Public School freely grant this. It is doing 
Needs ail the Titanic work. It is con- 
stantly improving its methods, 
and its magnificent attainments compel 

46 



"Lions in the Way" 47 

our admiration. But if all this must be 
purchased at the cost of religion, the 
price is too high. 

The following schedule gives the course 
of study in the public schools of New 
York: 

TIME SCHEDULE ON THE BASIS OF 1500 MINUTES PER 
WEEK 



TEAES 


i. 


ii. 


in. 


IV. 


v. 


VI. 


VII. 


VIII. 


Opening Exercises 

Physical Training, 

Physiology and 


75 


75 


75 


75 


75 


75 


75 


75 


































Hygiene, Re- 


















cesses and Or- 


















ganized Games 


450 


165 


165 


150 


90 


90 


90 


90 


English 


450 


510 


450 


375 


375 


375 


360 


320 


Penmanship 


100 


125 


125 


75 


75 


75 






Electives (German, 


















French, Span- 


















ish) 
















200 


Geography 








i35 


i20 


"i20 


"80 




History 










90 


120 


120 


*i20 


Mathematics .... 


125 


150 


150 ' 


150 


150 


200 


200 


200 


Nature Study . . . 


90 


90 


90 


90 


75 








Science 














"80 


"80 


Drawing and Con- 


















structive Work 


120 


120 


120 


120 


120 


120 


80 


80 


Cord and Raffia. 


30 


30 


30 












Sewing 






30 


"66 


"66 


"66 






Shop Work, Cook- 


















ing or Advanced 


















Sewing 














80 


80 


Music 


"66 


"66 


"66 


"66 


"66 


"60 


60 


60 


Study and Unas- 


















signed Time 




175 


205 


210 


210 


205 


275 


195 



1500 1500 1500 1500 1500 1500 1500 1500 

All of these are important. But some 
are of relatively less importance than 
others, and in view of a greater need, it is 
conceivable that certain branches might 
be taught on Wednesdays, and the les- 
sons given in the church school accepted 



48 Religious Education 

as an adequate substitute, so far as in- 
tellectual training is concerned. For 
example : 

Public School. Church School. 

Music. Music. 

Geography. Bible Geography 

Penmanship. Written Lessons. 

English Com- Reports of Ser- 

position mons. 

Hygiene. Way of Salvation. 

Memory Work Memory Work 

But if the school cannot spare these 
two hours, not even from its three or 
four hours of unassigned time, and if the 
foregoing church lessons are not an 
adequate substitute for school lessons, we 
have another proposition. The two lost 
hours may be recovered by adding a 
half hour to each of the other four school 
days. Only let the churches have a 
fair proportion of the best school hours 
for exercising their legitimate function in 
education. 

2. "There is no imperative demand 
for it on the part of the public." 

The demand may not have taken just 



" Lions in the Way" 49 

this form. And there doubtless are mul- 
titudes of people who believe that the 
Sunday-school and the "religious exer- 
cises" of the public school furnish a suf- 
ficient amount and quality of religious 
education. 

But, it may confidently be asserted that, 
in America as in England, there are few 
subjects which at the present time more 
deeply engage the interest of thoughtful 
men than that of religious education. 
As soon as an opportunity can be given 
for the American public to express itself 
on this subject, the demand for it will be 
emphatic, and the interest not less mani- 
fest than in England, where on a recent 
occasion in Parliament forty men were 
on their feet prepared to discuss the 
question as soon as a speaker had 
finished. 

3. "The churches now have abundant 
opportunities on Saturdays and Sundays, 
and hours after school on other days." 
(Why not also "all the hours from mid- 
night till 6 A. M. ? ") 

Answer: Sunday is a day of rest and 



50 Religious Education 

worship. Saturday is a day of recreation. 
If recreation is not needed, the public 
school is welcome to all of Saturday to 
make up for its losses on Wednesday 
afternoon. 

4. "Sunday services could be made to 
subserve the purposes of instruction." 

Answer: They are used for that pur- 
pose now. But instruction implies an 
amount of intellectual labor for which 
neither ministers nor scholars should be 
compelled to use their rest day. Sunday 
services have a character of their own 
and should not be confused with the curric- 
ulum of an educational institution. 

5. "Christian parents should be awak- 
ened to their duty." 

Answer: How can they be, when the 
soporific of superabounding secular 
studies makes them insensible to the 
primary importance of religion ? 

6. "The proposition implies that the 
public school is in some respects radi- 
cally deficient." 

Yes, this we concede. 

7. "The church calls upon the arm 



"Lions in the Way" 51 

of the State, (the vagrant officer), to en- 
force attendance at the church school." 

Nonsense. The church needs no help 
from the State to enforce attendance. 
Membership in the church is voluntary. 
But the church, like any other society, 
asks its members to fulfil their obligations. 

The proposition is that scholars attend- 
ing church schools shall be excused from 
attending public school. Only enrolled 
children, or children bringing a certificate 
of attendance, are excused. There is 
no compulsion, and no vagrant officer 
is needed by the church. 

8. "The public school now teaches 
the things that make for righteousness." 
So it does, and so it should. So ought 
every other institution. 

But our plan aims at something more 
than morals, something which the school 
admittedly cannot teach to its promis- 
cuous charge, but which the church is in 
duty bound to teach to the members of 
its flock. 

But the greatest difficulties are those 
which are suggested by ministers them- 



52 Religious Education 

selves. It was the ministers who failed 
to respond to the plans of Charlemagne, 
and thus frustrated the purpose of that 
enlightened ruler. It was the ministers 
who in the eighteenth century surren- 
dered into secular hands the inestimable 
heritage which belonged to them, and 
it is the ministers to-day who, in the mat- 
ter of primary education at least, are 
content to follow rather than to lead. 

1. "Ministers are not trained teachers 
and are not equal to the task." 

It is alas too true that our Theological 
Seminaries have neglected this part of a 
minister's preparation for his work. We 
heard very little about Herbart, and the 
doctrine of apperception is not very 
clear to us even now. But a better day 
is coming. Seminaries are beginning to 
teach teaching. The time is coming 
when candidates for the ministry will be 
required to demonstrate their attain- 
ments in the theory and practice of this 
art. In the meantime, let us use our 
ordinary common sense and do the best 
we can with such gifts as we possess. 



"Lions in the Way" 53 

Those who come after us will do better 
work, we hope. 

2. "Ministers are already taxed to the 
limit of their powers, and cannot possibly 
shoulder this new responsibility.' ' 

And yet the church is the mother of 
education. Is it conceivable that the 
Christian minister will definitely repu- 
diate his obligation to feed Christ's 
lambs ? He must find time for this 
work, no matter what else he surrenders. 

Roman Catholics say that if they have 
no schools they will have no churches. 
Protestants, perhaps, may retain au- 
diences by present methods. But it will 
be a hard task to build up churches. All 
the evangelists in the country will not 
be able to head off the escaped sheep 
that might easily have been gathered into 
the fold while they were lambs. So long 
as we treat the teaching of children as a 
matter of indifference, or place it in irre- 
sponsible hands, we shall struggle in 
vain to secure a permanent influence upon 
the great body of those who properly 
belong to our flocks. Alas for the chil- 



54 Religious Education 

dren, alas for the churches where the 
pastor is unwilling or unable to teach. 

3. "Where will you get the helpers ?" 
The writer serves a church of limited 

resources, but for ten years he has 
gathered nearly three hundred children 
into his week-day classes. The present 
corps of teachers consists of a trained 
teacher, a deaconess and several volunteers 
from the congregation. The pastor's 
contribution is about five hours per week. 
Some congregations may be able to 
secure salaried teachers. Volunteers are 
available in many cases. It must be 
remembered that in such a week-day 
school one teacher can, if necessary, take 
charge of thirty or forty pupils. 

4. Another difficulty is the want of a 
scheme of instruction that will make the 
course equal in value to that given in the 
public school. This is a matter which 
each congregation will have to arrange for 
itself. But no one would for a moment 
concede the permanent impotence or 
inferiority of the church in this respect. 

In following pages a scheme is offered, 



"Lions in the Way" 55 

not as a model but only as a suggestion. 

5. "But suppose the children will not 
come." 

They will come, if we make it 
worth coming. Nevertheless, one of the 
features of this system is that attendance 
on the part of the children should be 
obligatory. That is, they are expected to 
come, and absence must be accounted 
for. Most parents appreciate such aid 
on the part of the church. After two 
or three years of disciplinary insistence, 
almost all will be convinced of its im- 
portance. Those who are not, would 
probably find a more congenial home in 
some other congregation. 

A certain amount of discipline would 
not be unwholesome in our Protestant 
churches. In this case it would be a 
way in which people could show their 
loyalty to that for which their church 
stands. People appreciate most the 
things that cost something. The lessons 
of authority, of obligation, of duty are not 
the least of those which our generation 
would do well to learn. 



VII 

THE CHILD CATECHUMENATE 

T^HE earliest catechumenate was that 
of the proselytes. It was based on 
Christ's command, "Go ye therefore, and 
make disciples of all the nations,.... 
teaching them to observe all things what- 
soever I commanded you." The church 
was a missionary organization, and its aim 
was to convert people to the Christian view 
of life. Instruction was thought of as an 
implantation of the word: "Receive 
with meekness the implanted word which 
is able to save your souls." (James 1: 
21.) It preceded baptism and was 
continued afterward under various grades 
of teachers. 

One object was to establish Christian 

usages and to accustom people to them. 

In later periods, when it be- 

Proselytes i 

came popular to join the 
church, the term of probation was exten- 

56 



The Child Catechumenate 57 

ded to several years and a rich liturgical 
ceremony was prescribed. This was done, 
partly for the purpose of substituting 
Christian rites in place of the heathen 
mysteries, and partly because of the mys- 
tagogical or educational value of the 
forms. There were grades and classes of 
catechumens, chiefly the audientes and 
the competentes. At successive stages 
of their instruction they were admitted 
to new glimpses of the Christian doc- 
trine and service. For example, the 
exact wording of the Creed and the 
Lord's Prayer was not entrusted to them 
until the close of their probation. Much 
of it was an ornate ritualism, but the un- 
derlying purpose was that the partici- 
pants might be brought to a personal 
and heartfelt confession of the Christian 
faith. 

After the middle of the third century, 
when infant baptism became the rule, the 
child catechumenate gradu- Lessons for 
ally superseded that of the Children 
proselytes, and under Gregory the Great 
it became the rule of the church. A 



58 Religious Education 

systematic training of the baptized chil- 
dren was aimed at and to some extent 
secured through the sponsors, whose 
duty it was to provide the godchildren 
with religious instruction until they 
reached years of discretion and were 
able to come to their first confession. 
Among the prescribed subjects were the 
Creed, the Lord's Prayer and the Gloria. 
In the ninth century parochial schools 
were established to assist in the system- 
atic Christian training of the young. 
The Bible history was largely given in the 
form of poems, and the plastic repre- 
sentations of the churches of those days 
aided in giving the people a definite idea 
of the story of the Bible. 

But not only Christian teaching, Chris- 
tian training also played an important 
part in the work of the church at that 
time. Rules of living and the services 
of the church accustomed the people to 
the Christian view of life. Of special 
importance was the practice of private 
confession which began to be transferred 
from the convent life to the pastoral care 



The Child Catechumenate 59 

of children. It consisted in the recitation 
of certain church forms, and in instruc- 
tion on moral distinctions on the basis of 
Scripture passages. It aimed also to 
obtain a pastoral view of the state of mind 
and heart of the child. For the purpose 
of individualization the Ten Command- 
ments were used as a speculum peccato- 
rum. The imposition of penances ac- 
customed the people to the practice of 
obedience to the church's demands. The 
age produced a number of treatises on 
the method of training catechumens. 
The most important of them is Gerson's, 
"On Bringing the Little Ones to Christ, " 
a work in which the aim of the catechu- 
menate is set forth in a substantially 
evangelical manner. 

These times are sometimes called "the 
Dark Ages." But let us not forget that 
they were periods when nations were 
converted and brought under the quicken- 
ing power of Christianity. 

The Reformation gave new signifi- 
cance and character to the ancient cate- 
chumenate. At first it was not a cate- 



60 Religious Education 

chumenate for children, but rather for 
Reformation the whole people. Entire con- 
Catechisms g re gations had to be instructed 
in the fundamentals of religion. As a 
ripe fruit of his experience in preaching, 
teaching and the care of souls, Luther 
published in 1529 his Small Catechism, 
a book which still holds its place 
as the fairest fruit of the catechetical 
literature of all ages. Its arrangement is 
Decalogue, Creed and Lord's Prayer, 
that is Law, Gospel, and the New Life, 
with supplemental chapters on Baptism 
and the Lord's Supper. In its form and 
arrangement, and even in some of its 
expressions, it reproduced the best 
results of the preceding ages. The occa- 
sion for its publication was the lament- 
able condition of the religious instruction 
of children as he found it during a visi- 
tation of the churches in Electoral Sax- 
ony. The book at once became exceed- 
ingly popular and produced a complete 
transformation in the religious training 
of the people. 

The example set by Luther was fol- 



The Child Catechumenate 61 

lowed by the Reformed, who published 
their Heidelberg Catechism in 1563, and 
even by the Roman Catholics who pub- 
lished their Trent Catechism in 1566. 

In Spener's time, and that of the 
Pietists, the religious and pedagogic im- 
portance of Bible History came to be 
understood, and since then this form of 
imparting religious knowledge has taken 
the first place. 

Catechization sympathized with the 
spirit of the subsequent intellectual and 
religious movements. Thus in the days 
of Rationalism the chief aim was use- 
fulness, not so much the formation of 
Christian character as the training of 
useful citizens. Under Pestalozzi the 
new pedagogical methods were intro- 
duced, and the great changes produced a 
century ago by the leaders in philosophy, 
art and literature, left their permanent im- 
pression upon catechetics as well. 

Two questions are incidentally in- 
volved in my subject. The first is the 
relation of the children to the church. 
There are those who believe that the 



62 Religious Education 

Spirit of God is incapable of influencing 
Relation of * ne undeveloped spiritual life 
Children to f a child, and that years of dis- 

Church . ' .tip 

cretion must be attained before 
we can speak of regenerating influence. 
Just what the relation of the children to 
the church in such a system is, it is hard 
to tell. They are not Christian, neither 
are they heathen. They must be in 
some kind of a limbics infantum. Many 
retain the practice of infant baptism, 
who if questioned closely, will admit that 
they mean nothing by it. 

There are those on the other hand 
who believe that baptism is more than 
a mere symbol, a suggestive form, in- 
herited from the past, or a dedication 
of the child to God on the part of the 
parents. They believe, in the words 
of the Westminster Confession, that "by 
the right use of this ordinance, the grace 
promised is not only offered, but really 
exhibited and conferred by the Holy 
Ghost." Those who thus believe in 
infant baptism hold, or should hold, 
that as the church has baptized the 



The Child Catechumenate 63 

children she is in duty bound to teach 
them. In Christ's command teaching 
is correlated with baptism, and the church 
is bound to recognize the connection 
between them. 

The second question relates to the 
best method of making Chris- "Making 
tians. That it is a question, Chri8tians " 
such paragraphs as the following prove: 

A Chicago correspondent writes to a 
certain paper: "A very prominent di- 
vine told me a few days ago: 'I am 
compelled to leave my flock, much against 
my wishes, not because of lack of appre- 
ciation or sympathy on their part, but 
because of the extreme difficulty I find 
in interesting outsiders.' " 

Henry Drummond speaks of the rest- 
lessness that characterizes our modern 
congregations. "Like the Athenians of 
old, they are ever seeking after some new 
thing. There is a hunger and thirst 
among the people for some new sensation. 
Yet withal there is an impotence in the 
pulpit so far as the legitimate results of 
preaching are concerned." 



64 Religious Education 

In our own city pulpits are vacant, 
because the congregations are anxious 
to find some great preacher, one who can 
fill the pews and assure the church 
treasurer a large and steady income. 
For every vacant pulpit in a promi- 
nent church there are scores of appli- 
cants who are willing to sacrifice them- 
selves. And very often they do sacrifice 
themselves. A few years later, with 
broken spirit, they retire to some quiet 
place where they may rest from the un- 
equal struggle. 

Our present-day forces for the con- 
version of the world and the edification 
of the church are: 

First, the regular preacher. It is his 
business to be an attractive writer and 
speaker so as to be able to hold his audi- 
ence. The Tribune recently brought the 
following notice: 

"Next Sunday will be the Rev. Dr. 

-'s last appearance (!) for some time 

in the pulpit of the Church." 

While it is true that a reporter of a daily 
paper does not always appear to the 



The Child Catechumenate 65 

best advantage in his use of ecclesiastical 
phraseology, it must be admitted that he 
is quick to catch the popular conception 
of a situation. 

Secondly, the evangelist, for special 
seasons and for meetings at Carnegie 
Hall and other places untainted by the 
flavor of church associations. 

Thirdly, Sunday - school teachers, 
upon whom a large part of the responsi- 
bility of the religious education of the 
young rests. 

Would that family training might be 
added to these as an important factor. 

Supplemental to these forces are Young 
People's Societies, King's Daughters and 
the like, the great success of which de- 
monstrates a widespread need. 

Each of these forces and all combined 
undoubtedly have a most important place 
in the economy of the church, but they 
cannot take the place of the catechu- 
menate. 

What then is the child catechumenate ? 
What is there in it which differentiates 
it from allied institutions and methods ? 



66 Religious Education 

It is that institution of Christ and the 

church by which children are systemati- 

. colly taught and trained in 

such a way as to prepare them 

for a personal participation in the life 

and privileges of the Christian church. 

That it is an institution of Christ, is 
argued from the word tijqelv, "to ob- 
serve," in Christ's last command. 

Its place in the New Testament is seen 
from numerous passages, such as Gala- 
tians 6:6, "Let the catechumen commun- 
icate to him who catechises in all good 
things." (Literal translation.) 

It involves two distinct functions, that 
of teaching and that of training. 

It has a definite end, that of making 
mature Christians out of incipient be- 
lievers. 

It pursues a systematic method, lead- 
ing step by step to the comprehension 
of that which has been revealed. 

And finally, it is an institution of the 
church; that is, the Christian church 
itself supplies the organ and ministry 
by which the work is carried on. 



The Child Catechumenate 67 

My plea for the restoration of the 
Child Catechumenate I shall endeavor 
to enforce by a brief reference, 1, to its 
principles, and 2, to its practice. 

1. Principles. The importance of 
this institution rests chiefly upon the 
duty which the church owes to the chil- 
dren who have been entrusted to its 
care. We acknowledge the claims of 
the heathen whom we have never seen. 
But here are the little ones crowding our 
doors and asking for admission into the 
kingdom. Then again the trustful nature 
of the child makes it an unspeakable 
privilege to guide and an easy task to 
convert it. While we recognize in them, 
too, the impress of the fallen nature, 
there is also that which has been called 
the anima naturaliter Christiana. They 
respond almost intuitively to the idea 
of God and immortality. The five-year- 
old brother of Klopstock was found in 
the open field during a terrific thunder 
storm, and when asked what he was doing, 
he replied, "I am praying to the great 
God." 



68 Religious Education 

The church is the mother of education. 
But what a humiliating position we take 
when we allow secular instruction to be 
given in the most scientific and effective 
manner, while the subjects of highest im- 
port are entrusted almost wholly to in- 
expert hands. 

Again, is it wise to postpone the mak- 
:'ng of special religious impressions to a 
time when the mind and heart have 
become preoccupied, and are past the 
time when the germinal purposes of life 
are formed ? 

These statements are trite and almost 
self-evident, and yet to most ministers 
everything else seems to be of greater im- 
portance than that which is of supreme 
importance in their pastoral relation, 
the teaching and training of the young. 

2. The Practice. It has been well 
said that if you wish to train a child 
properly, you must begin with the grand- 
parents. But, it is added, you must be- 
gin with the grandparents when they 
are children. The importance of this 
principle is apparent from the fact that 



The Child Catechumenate 69 

during the first five years, the most im- 
portant of all in the development of the 
child, the church can influence the child 
but very little except through its parents. 
And yet it is of this age that the Roman 
Catholic bishop said: "Give us the 
children for the first six years, and we 
care not who gets them afterward." 

With the sixth year, the child begins 
to enter into public relation with the 
church and its services, and the minister 
must be prepared to meet this new 
relation. 

It is evident that in order to do this 
work properly, the minister must be a 
pedagogue; that is, the instruction should 
be such as to be intellectually stimulating. 
But its chief charm and power is derived 
from the pastoral relation which the in- 
structor holds, and which should make 
it spiritually quickening. It is true that 
not every minister is a pedagogue. But 
he ought to be, and in the future, as in 
the past, pedagogical skill and training 
will be considered a part of the neces- 
sary outfit of every minister. 



70 Religious Education 

But the principal value of the catechu- 
menate is in the opportunity it affords to 
train the child; that is, to accustom it to 
the duties and practice of the Christian 
_ . . life. Thus it should early be 

Training ■* 

taught to go to church — at 
first to the children's services, but as 
soon as possible to the great congrega- 
tion. It should be taught the words of 
the silent prayer when entering the 
house of God, and the significance of the 
various parts of the service. For the 
purpose of bringing up attentive hearers, 
a report of the sermon should be required. 
The habit of so listening to a sermon as to 
fix its chief points and thoughts in the 
mind, is one that must be cultivated. 
If you do not believe this, ask some of 
your children next week to tell you about 
the sermon which they last heard, 

But how shall we get the children to 
come to church? Some ministers in- 
Church vite the voluntary attendants 

Attendance Q | the Sunday-School to eX- 

ercise a little more voluntariness and 
come to church. It is very gratifying 



The Child Catechumen ate 71 

when at least some of them respond. 
Others offer a reward with cheering re- 
sults in some cases. It sometimes pays 
to be good. Nevertheless, apart from 
these sporadic results, church attendance 
on the part of children is not as common 
as it should be. 

Are not we Protestants a little too easy- 
going in our conceptions of discipline? 
Why should we concede everything of 
this character to the Roman Catholics ? 
Might not a little wholesome coercion 
be exercised by us as well as by them? 
Is not the law our pedagogue to lead 
us to Christ? In explaining the law of 
the Sabbath, even so good a Protestant 
as Martin Luther said : 

"We should so fear and love God as 
not to despise His word and the preach- 
ing of the Gospel, but deem it holy and 
willingly hear and learn it." 

The scope of the Child Catechumenate 
includes church attendance. It takes this 
for granted and does not ask whether 
the children wish to go or not. 

But while children of all ages are wel- 



72 Religious Education 

come, it is a question at what age at- 
tendance should be expected or made 
obligatory. Without attempting to re- 
peat the psychological reasons, I venture 
to indicate the age of nine as that at 
which children may follow a sermon with 
intelligence, and take part in the service 
to their own edification. 

If children are expected to come to 
church, another question forces itself 
Sermons for upon us. What should be 
Children jj^ cnarac t e r of the sermon? 

Some ministers preach a five-minute 
sermon for children as a prelude to the 
regular sermon. A similar course was 
recommended by Melanchthon in the 
sixteenth century. Or the ordinary 
sermon may bear the children in mind, 
and state the truth in such a way 
that the future congregation may get 
some benefit from it. It is not necessary 
that they should understand the whole 
of it, to make it effective in their lives. 
A sermon is not simply for instruction, 
it is for inspiration. It conveys a spirit- 
ual message, and for receiving this mes- 



The Child Catechumenate 73 

sage the difference between the little 
child and the learned professor is one 
only of degree and not of kind. 

In Luther's discourses on preaching, 
he earnestly insisted that the message 
of the pulpit should be directed to the 
great mass of plain people and of chil- 
dren rather than to the few learned people 
who might be present. A Governor of 
Connecticut once came to his pastor and 
asked him to tell him what he must do 
to be a Christian, but, "tell me just as 
plainly as you would explain it to a little 
child," was his request. 

Besides, it must not be forgotten that 
there are acts of worship in the church, 
besides the sermon, in which a child can 
participate just as truly as an adult 
person. 

A means of emphasizing and carrying 
out the principles of Christian training 
is the personal interview with Under Four 
the catechumen. They called Eyes 
it private confession in the olden time, 
but you may call it by any other name 
if it will smell sweeter. The essential 



74 Religious Education 

thing about it is to accustom the child to 
a confidential and trusting relation to its 
pastor in spiritual matters. The sub- 
jects to be treated are the habit of private 
prayer, the questions of Christian con- 
duct in its relations to parents, broth- 
ers and sisters and other children, and 
especially in the matter of penitence 
for sin, faith in a personal Saviour and 
of the right steps in the new life of 
obedience. 

Those of you who have never tried 
this method would be amazed at the 
absence, in many cases, of the most 
fundamental Christian conceptions, and 
that, too, among those where one took 
the Christian view of life for granted. 
The theology of most of them is, "You 
must be good if you want to get to 
heaven. " And, " you must keep the com- 
mandments if you want to be saved. " But 
when in such pastoral intercourse it be- 
comes your privilege to unlock the heart 
to the gifts of the Gospel, what hearers 
you will have for the pulpit message! 
You look down into eyes that respond 



The Child Catechumenate 75 

with grateful eagerness to every word 
you say. 

The objection will be raised that one 
cannot find time for so much additional 
work. 

A wise pastor will be able to modify 
the system in such a way as to distribute 
the work among many, and make it 
easy and profitable for all. We „ , 

A + * ' 'A * -P Helpers 

need to get rid 01 many 01 our 
hierarchical notions and to introduce a 
larger diaconate into our church work. 
Some of us have school teachers and 
teaching deaconesses who can be en- 
trusted with part of this work. But in 
all of our churches there are men and 
women with gifts and graces that would 
make them helpers in this churchly 
work of bringing the little ones to Christ 
and training them up for His service. 
Chief among these are the parents of the 
children, especially so far as home life and 
home duties are concerned. But even for 
the week-day hours at the church, there 
is much undeveloped material which 
could be utilized for such work. 



76 Religious Education 

And what better opportunity than this 
could be found for bringing into practice 
Duties of those duties which many lit- 
Sponsors ur gi es prescribe for the spon- 
sors, when they direct the minister to 
exhort those who have presented the 
child for baptism in the following words : 
"I now admonish you who have done 
so charitable a work to this child in its 
baptism, that ye diligently and faith- 
fully teach it the Ten Commandments, 
that thereby it may learn to know the 
will of God; also the Christian faith, 
set forth in the Creed, whereby we obtain 
grace, the forgiveness of sins, and the 
Holy Ghost; and likewise the Lord's 
Prayer, that it may call upon God, and 
find help to withstand the devil, and lead 
a Christian life, till God shall perfect 
that which He hath now begun in it, and 
bring it to life everlasting." 

The point to emphasize is that it is 
a systematic work, conducted by the 
church, proceeding from certain acknowl- 
edged premises and advancing by ap- 
proved methods to a certain end. Or, to 



The Child Catechumenate 77 

return to the definition, "It is an in- 
stitution of Christ and the church, by 
which children are systematically taught 
and trained in such a way as to prepare 
them for a personal participation in the 
life and the privileges of the Christian 
church." 

With the restoration of this institution 
in a practical way in our churches, the 
Sunday-school itself would assume a more 
natural and more important relation to 
the life of the church. The Sunday- 
school would become a Children's Service 
in which the knowledge gained during 
the week would be fused into sweet 
experience under the influence of warm- 
hearted Christian teachers and superin- 
tendents. 

A new meaning would also be given 
to the instruction for admission to the 
communion. It would be a simple re- 
view of subjects with which the children 
have long since been made acquainted. 
The nature of the instruction would there- 
fore be a warm, spiritual presentation of 
the truths of the catechism, would cover 



78 Religious Education 

a comparatively brief period of time, and 
would have the sole purpose of preparing 
the children for a proper participation 
in the privileges of the Lord's Supper. 
It would be a revival season in which 
others than the children would be glad 
to take part because of the stimulating 
and quickening influences that accom- 
pany such a course of instruction. 

It would prepare the way for " Decision 
Day" and would lay a good foundation 
for the development of sterling character. 



VIII 
A COURSE OF STUDY 

T^HE conditions of churches are so 
varied that no attempt can be made to 
offer a plan that would be suitable for 
all. The scheme presented on page 80 
is merely a suggestion. It indicates some 
of the studies that may profitably be 
pursued. 

Our classes are divided as follows: 
Infants, 5 to 7 years of age; Primarians, 
8; Juniors, 9 to 10; Intermediates, 11; 
Preparatorians, 12; Catechumens, 13 and 
over. 

All the children are invited to attend 
the regular church service. When they 
are nine years old, they are required to 
do so. A report of last Sunday's sermon 
is given, oral by the younger children, 
written by the older ones. This is a 
very important part of their work. The 
plan has proved effective in training up 

79 



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A Course of Study 81 

attentive and appreciative listeners. The 
habit once formed is not easily lost. 

The children also learn the parts and 
the significance of the Church Service, 
and are thus prepared to take part in 
the worship in an intelligent manner. 

To this scheme might well be added 
a very simple course in Church History, 
Christian Biography or Missions. There 
are not lacking "hero stories" in such a 
course which would appeal mightily to 
the boys in the older classes. 

A system of marking and giving credit 
for lessons learned, and tasks accom- 
plished, may also be found desirable in 
some cases. 

The course here suggested is meagre 
indeed, but it involves constant pro- 
gression, along definite lines, for nine 
years, and includes subjects of such "in- 
terest" that neither teacher nor pupil can 
ever grow weary, if work is done in the 
right spirit* 



IX 

THE BIBLE STORY 

A POSTOLICAL Christianity was built 
upon the Bible story, and long before 
there was a Christian canon, the narration 
of the facts of revelation brought men into 
vital relation with Christ and the church. 
In the second century, beginning with A. D. 
180, the Alexandrian school of catechists, 
in a long line of eminent teachers, faith- 
fully followed the Apostolical method. 
Two hundred years later there appeared 
the most important contribution to the 
subject in Augustine's tract " On the way 
in which ignorant people should be cate- 
chized,"' de catechizandis rudibus. The 
Bible story, he declared, from the creation 
to the consummation, must be the material 
in catechization. But through some 
strange perversity of history, this principle 
was lost sight of for a thousand years. 
Although the Middle Ages produced emi- 

82 



The Bible Story 83 

nent pedagogues, scholastics, and the 
Brethren of the Common Life, and in later 
years Gerson, who wrote the treatise " On 
bringing the little ones to Christ,' ' Chris- 
tian training was secured by other means 
than Bible study. The plastic repre- 
sentations of the Bible story as given in 
the church buildings, and the poetical re- 
productions of the story of salvation, left 
the people not altogether ignorant of 
Scripture. But repentance, faith and the 
Christian life were developed and main- 
tained largely by other methods than the 
use of the Bible. The Apostolical and 
Augustinian principle was restored to the 
church as one of the results of the Re- 
formation. Luther's Small Catechism, 
which marks an epoch in catechetical 
literature, is, indeed, a dogmatic treatise. 
But Luther also gave an impulse to the 
popularization of the Bible by his collec- 
tion of Bible stories called the Passional. 
He also expressed the hope that some one 
would arouse the interest of the people 
by making pictures for the collected 
stories of the Bible. The suggestion was 



84 Religious Education 

followed by Fischart, who published Bible 
pictures and verses, a valuable work of 
art. In the middle of the sixteenth cen- 
tury Hartmann Beyer, the Reformer of 
Frankfurt, published the first real Bible 
story book with pictures, an undertaking 
which the Brunswick theologian, Justus 
Gesenius imitated on a larger scale a cen- 
tury later. It had special reference to 
instruction in schools. For high schools, 
Melanchthon's pupil, Xeander, had de- 
signed his Historia populiDei, 1582, which 
aroused great interest. Felicitous crea- 
tions, with the same end in view, appeared 
in the latter part of the seventeenth cen- 
tury in the Sacred Histories of Sagittar- 
ius, Castellio and Fabricius. 

In France, Fenelon used Bible stories 
occasionally as an aid in teaching the 
catechism. 

In the middle of the seventeenth cen- 
tury Cocceius, one of the most eminent 
theologians of the Reformed Church, 
gave a great impulse to the Bible story by 
his doctrine that Revelation has a history 
which is to be taught. This doctrine was 



The Bible Story 85 

the earliest foundation of Biblical Theol- 
ogy. His idea was taken up by the Pie- 
tists and thru them came to be generally 
adopted by the Lutherans. Spener and 
Francke got their pupils to use the Bible 
itself, and in the institutions at Halle, 
Bible History was a distinct subject in 
the course of study. 

Huebner's Bible Stories appeared in 
1714, and attained such widespread pop- 
ularity that he has often been regarded as 
the founder of the Bible story method of 
teaching. But his way of telling the story, 
in a popular version rather than in the 
language of Scriptures, came to be recog- 
nized as faulty. In 1830 Zahn's Bible 
Stories appeared in close conformity with 
the language of the Bible, and it has been 
the norm for the numerous books that 
have followed on this field. The use of 
the Bible story book is not intended to 
supplant the use of the Bible itself, al- 
though for many years it did so, before 
the Bible Societies made it possible for 
every one to have a copy. It is intended 
as a means of helping the child to grasp 



86 Religious Education 

the Bible narrative in its entirety. The 
principle is that the Bible itself is the 
Divine Revelation which must lie at the 
basis of Christian instruction. 

And yet this principle has not always 
been recognized. In churches where the 
true pedagogical view has not obtained, a 
brief period of dogmatic instruction still 
takes the place of systematic and com- 
prehensive Bible study. 

In non-catechetical circles, that is, 
where the churches are built up by means 
other than the instruction and training 
of the baptized children, this principle 
is likewise in danger of being neglected. 
They object to the entire system as 
appealing too largely to the intellectual 
nature and not to the heart, and it is 
sometimes regarded as a mechanical 
method of making Christians. Occasion 
has indeed been given for this criticism. 
But it is not inherent in the system. 
It must not be forgotten that Spener, 
the father of modern Pietism, found in 
it the most potent means for the revival 
of the churches. 



The Bible Story 87 

Another repudiation of this principle 
is found in those rationalistic systems 
which substitute natural religion for Reve- 
lation and which direct their questions 
to the innate ideas of morality and re- 
ligion. But wherever a supernatural reve- 
lation is conceded, the method of in- 
struction in its fundamental principles 
must be an authoritative presentation of 
the facts from the sources. 

Recognizing the importance of this 
principle, the Christian teachers of Ger- 
many have during the last half century 
provided a literature of preeminent value 
in the field of Bible catechetics. Philos- 
ophy, History and Art have contributed 
their aid, so that their catechetical ap- 
paratus is rich and stimulating. In this 
country there are encouraging signs of 
a growing interest in the subject. The 
value of Bible study as a means to a 
definite end, and therefore conducted 
in a scientific and systematic manner, is 
appreciated and understood as never 
before. 

The first principle of the catechetical 



88 Religious Education 

use of the Bible is that the foundation 
Tell of Christian instruction is laid 

the story by telling the Bible story. 
From the pedagogical standpoint this is 
enforced by the importance assigned to 
object lessons in the development of 
ideas, a fact that was first popularized 
by Pestalozzi, but had already been 
shown by Amos Comenius, a century 
earlier. Children love to hear stories, 
and by this means the food for their 
thought can best be supplied. 

But the Christian teacher has a deeper 
reason for recognizing this principle. 
Christianity entered the world as a fact 
and not as a dogma. It was the facts 
of the Gospel, and the Acts of the Apos- 
tles that St. Luke related to his friend 
Theophilus. It was in the proclamation 
of the great facts of redemption that 
the Apostles gained the trophies of their 
missionary journeys. 

In the statement of this principle 
there is contained also the first rule of 
the method which the teacher of the 
Bible story must observe. He must tell 



The Bible Story 89 

the story. He produces his first im- 
pression by means of an oral narration. 
One reason for this is that the younger 
children are not yet able to read. But 
there is also a psychological reason. The 
first impression which the child receives 
of the Divine Revelation must come 
with the authority of a prophet's utter- 
ance. 

It is not necessary in the earlier classes 
to devote much attention to moralization 
or making the application. The sacred 
story opens the mind of the child to a 
wonderful land where God is, and the 
holy angels, and in this realm it is almost 
an impertinence for men to intrude with 
their explanatory remarks and their par- 
anetic exhortations. In the older classes 
there is room for homiletic application, 
but not so much in the younger grades. 
Here the chief object is to impress the 
fact, and to make it the permanent pos- 
session of the soul-life of the child. The 
story will teach its own truth and will 
produce its effect in the life and 
character. 



90 Religious Education 

The stories have a primary importance 
of their own, and are not given for the 
sake of the dogmatic or ethical lessons 
which they contain. Christ did not die 
on the cross to teach us courage or loyalty 
to truth, but his death is itself the great 
fact upon which our redemption depends. 
He did not rise from the dead in order 
that we might learn lessons of immortality, 
but his resurrection is itself the great act 
through which he has become our living 
Lord and Redeemer. 

The material for this instruction con- 
sists of a selection of the stories of the 
Old and New Testaments, sufficient in 
number to be mastered in the course of 
a year. Whether the Old Testament or 
the New precedes is a mooted point. 
But in view of the fact that in Christian 
homes the main facts of the New Testa- 
ment are already known, and because 
the Old Testament is a preparation for 
the New Testament, many teachers favor 
the Old Testament. 

The teacher tells the story as simply 
as he can, not monotonously, or as if it 



The Bible Story 91 

were a recitation, but as a real story, and 
as nearly as possible in the language and 
forms of the Bible. Only such explana- 
tions are made as are necessary for a 
clear understanding of the facts. The 
story is then repeated without any ex- 
planations, and the children are given 
an opportunity to reproduce the story. 
Or this part of the lesson may be re- 
quired at the next hour. But it is im- 
portant to tell the story in such a way 
that it may be reproduced by the 
children. 

Luther's suggestion that pictures should 
be drawn to accompany the stories, a 
suggestion that was promptly 
accepted in his own day, has 
been universally endorsed in our times. 
Christian artists have vied with each other 
in supplying the Bible story with illus- 
trations. 

The next stage of instruction is reached 
when the child is able to read. In three 
different forms is the instruction given: 
Reading, Explanation and Application, 
Committing to Memory. 



92 Religious Education 

In the Roman Catholic system it is 
not necessary for the people to read the 
„ _. Bible. The priest is the me- 

Keading x pi- 

diator and source of authority. 
But in the Protestant system it is necessary 
to lead the believer to the sources of re- 
ligion, from which he may draw with in- 
dependent judgment the teachings that 
are to control his life. Where there are 
parochial schools it is easy to read the 
Bible in course. Where these do not ex- 
ist, the class instruction must be supple- 
mented by means of a course of home 
readings. 

While in one sense it is true that the 
Scripture is its own interpreter, and the 
Explanation Apostles did not find it neces- 
Application sary to send commentaries 
along with their epistles, the question is 
still in order : " Understandest thou what 
thou readest?" And the answer is still: 
"How can I, except some man guide 
me?" It is an art that must be learned, 
to read the Bible understandingly. The 
object of catechisation is not merely to 
study the Bible, but to show how it 



The Bible Story 93 

should be studied, and to accustom the 
mind to the proper method. 

The study of the Bible is in two di- 
rections. First, we must understand the 
Scriptures themselves, in their objectivity, 
the facts, persons, lands, language and 
ideas. Secondly, we must understand 
them in relation to our own hearts. We 
must teach the children to experience 
the truth of the Bible story in their own 
lives. For this task — the catechisation 
of a class in such a way as to make the 
Bible story clear in its meaning, without 
and within — preparation is needed. It 
is harder than preaching. In preaching 
there is no one to interrupt, and the line 
of thought can be followed to the end. 
But in catechisation, the questions and 
answers of the children may at any mo- 
ment throw the teacher off the track 
and hinder him from attaining the result 
at which he is aiming. For this reason 
it is well to have the questions written 
out, so that the teacher may maintain his 
theme and follow his aim in an undevia- 
ting course. 



94 Religious Education 

A valuable help in catechisation is the 
text-book, containing the seed-texts of 
the Bible, which must be committed to 
memory during the school curriculum. 
The Wurttemberg Text Book has the 
following divisions: Texts which teach: 
1. What to believe. 2. How to live. 
3. How to suffer. 4. How to die. My 
pastoral work sometimes brings me into 
contact with aged people who learned 
these texts in Germany when they were 
young, and who are now proving their 
value when all things else are taken away. 



X 

THE CATECHISM 

A CATECHISM is popularly supposed 
-*"* to be a religious manual consisting of 
questions and answers. It is associated 
in many minds with some of the difficult 
and unwelcome tasks of childhood. But 
the form of question and answer is only 
an accident of modern times. In early 
Christian usage the catechism meant 
religious instruction to candidates for 
admission to the Christian church. It 
included preaching or any other method 
of imparting the doctrines of Christianity. 
The foundation of Christian knowledge 
is the Bible. From the Bible the church 
has gleaned her doctrines and set them 
in order in doctrinal form for the in- 
struction of her children. It is the duty 
of the church to see to it that her members 
are made acquainted with these teach- 
ings. Only it must always be borne 

95 



96 Religious Education 

in mind that instruction is not merely 
for the intellect, but chiefly for the heart 
and the will. 

As this is not a manual of Pastoral 
Theology, the purpose of this chapter 
will be met by a brief exposition of the 
material and the form of the catechism 
in its relation to the Christian school. 

1. Material. An ancient name for 
the catechism was " The Threefold Cord." 
By this was meant the Law of God, the 
Gospel, and the New Life. The first 
was taught thru the Ten Command- 
ments, the second thru the Apostles' 
Creed, the third thru the Lord's 
Prayer. These formed the great pillars, 
as it were, on which and around which 
the catechism was constructed, and the 
idea has been a controlling one in many 
of the leading churches. 

In the younger classes, religious ideas 
are best communicated thru the Bible 
story. From this ever fresh and fruitful 
garden are gathered the fruits upon which 
the spiritual life must feed. But the 
older children, who are preparing for 



The Catechism 97 

the fuller obligations of church member- 
ship, need instruction also not only in 
the doctrines that are common to the 
whole church, but also in those which 
are peculiar to their own denomination. 

For this purpose the churches have 
constructed their catechisms. Thus we 
have Luther's Catechism, the Heidelberg, 
the Westminster, the Tridentine, etc. 
Some of these have lived for centuries, 
and in spite of intellectual and moral 
revolutions continue to assert themselves 
as living forces in the world. 

As books of reference, statements of 
doctrine, dictionaries of information, rec- 
ords of history, they have a permanent 
value. To what extent they are adapted 
for the instruction of children, is another 
question. 

2. Form. The catechisms with which 
most of us are familiar consist of ques- 
tions and answers. They follow the 
synthetic method, starting from general 
principles. The answers are not neces- 
sarily contained in the question, but are 
a body of information which has to be 



98 Religious Education 

committed to memory in order to be 
recited by the child. 

The following questions and answers, 
selected at random from the church 
catechisms of four denominations, illus- 
trate their character: 

Why must our Redeemer be both God and Man ? 

Our Redeemer must be man in order that, by His 
obedience and His suffering in our nature and in our 
stead, He might redeem us from sin; and He must be 
God in order that His redemption may be all-sufficient. 

What is Justifying Faith ? 

Justifying faith is a saving grace, wrought in the 
heart of a sinner, by the Spirit and word of God ; where- 
by he, being convinced of his sin and misery, and of 
the disability in himself and all other creatures to 
recover him out of his lost condition, not only assenteth 
to the truth of the promise of the gospel, but receiveth 
and resteth upon Christ and His righteousness therein 
held forth, for pardon of sin, and for the accepting and 
accounting of his person righteous in the sight of God 
for salvation. 

What is required of those who corns to the Lord's 
Supper ? 

To examine themselves whether they repent them 
truly of their former sins, steadfastly purposing to lead 
a new life; have a lively faith in God's mercy through 
Christ, with a thankful remembrance of His death; 
and be in charity with all men. 

What do you desire of God in this Prayer ? 

1. That all things which tend to the glory of God 
may be promoted, and whatsoever is repugnant thereto, 



The Catechism 99 

or contrary to His will, may be prevensed. 2. That He 
may provide me with all things necessary for the body, 
and as to my soul, preserve me from all evil which 
might in any wise be detrimental to my salvation. 

This method is an unnatural way of 
acquiring knowledge. We would not 
teach Chemistry or Mathematics, not 
even History or Biography by this method. 

Again it has no religious quality. The 
child may believe the statement, or as 
much of it as it can remember, upon the 
authority of the teacher. Sometime or 
other, perhaps, the statement will be 
verified in its own experience. The cate- 
chism will then get the credit for it. But 
until then, and in many cases permanently, 
the information is "an undigested se- 
curity" 

The modern way of teaching the cate- 
chism follows the analytic method, a 
method pursued by both the great cate- 
chisms of the German Reformation, but 
which was subsequently set aside, only 
to be restored again as a result of the 
great educational revolution of the 18th 
century. 

The following page from a modern 



100 Religious Education 

catechism* will illustrate my meaning 
better than a lengthy description: 

The topic is the first article of the 
Creed. After a preliminary lesson the 
teacher proceeds to explain the words: 
I believe in God the Father Almighty. 

"I believe in God." This does not 
mean, I believe that there is a God. 
If we have any religion at all, we 
believe that there is a God. But when 
I say I believe in God, I mean some- 
thing more than that. What that is 
we may learn from the centurion of 
Capernaum. He was a man who believed 
in the Lord Jesus Christ. With what 
words did Jesus commend his faith? 
(Verily I say unto you, etc.) He was a 
humble-minded man. How does that 
appear? (He said: I am not worthy, 
etc.) But he had a high opinion of 
Jesus. From what do we learn this? 
(He said: "Only say the word" etc.) 
What disposition did he show? (He 
showed trust.) How then did he show 

*Der kleine Katechismus Dr. M. Luthers in ausgef iihrten 
Katechesen, von Johannes Kolb, Breslau, 1892. 



The Catechism 101 

that he believed in Jesus? (By trusting 
in the Lord that he could heal his servant 
with a word.) But the centurion proved 
in another way that he had faith. What 
did he say in conclusion to the centurion ? 
(Go thy way, etc.) Go thy way, said 
the Lord Jesus. What did the centurion 
do then? (He went his way.) Some 
might have hesitated and asked: "Is 
it certain that my servant is healed? 
Can I assuredly rely upon it?" How 
did the centurion show that he believed? 
(He showed it by going.) Yes, he was 
obedient to the Lord's command. There 
were two things therefore which showed 
that the centurion believed. What were 
they? (He had trust in the Lord, 
and he did what he was told to do.) 
Can you give me the name of a man of 
faith in the Old Testament? (Abraham.) 
In what way did he show that he be- 
lieved in God? (He went out of his 
country and from his father's house. 
And he was ready to sacrifice his son 
Isaac.) He did therefore what God 
commanded. Neither of these things 



102 Religious Education 

was an easy task. Why did he never- 
theless obey the command although it must 
have been hard for him to do so? (Be- 
cause he trusted in God, that God would 
not tell him to do anything that was not 
good.) We see therefore that in Abraham 
also faith shows itself by trust and 
obedience. 

"What is faith?" asked an unbeliev- 
ing physician of his friend, a merchant, 
in whose comfortable parlor the two 
were engaged in friendly conversation. 
He asked the question in the same spirit 
in which Pilate said: "What is truth?" 
The merchant smiled and called to his 
eight year old son who was sitting at an- 
other table. He had been laboriously 
unpacking a box of tin soldiers and was 
making them march up and down and 
was having a fine time. "Karl," said 
the father to the child, who found it hard 
to separate himself from his soldiers, 
"my dear boy, pack up your soldiers as 
quickly as you can, and go to bed. I 
think it is better that you should do so. 
But do it quickly." The child gave his 



The Catechism 103 

father a long, beseeching look, but seeing 
that the father was determined, he pressed 
back a tear, said not a word, gave his 
father a long, warm kiss, and hurried 
away. "There Doctor, that is faith," 
said the merchant. Then he called the 
boy back and whispered into his ear: 
fct And when you bring me another such 
good certificate from school as the last 
one was, when vacation comes, I will 
take you with me to visit your aunt in 
Hamburg." The boy shouted for joy, 
and for a long time they still heard from 
his bedroom his jubilant cries. But the 
father said to his friend : " There, Doctor, 
that was faith. That boy has the stuff 
in him to be a man of faith. If he acts 
toward God as he acted toward me, as 
trustfully and as obediently, he will have 
faith." The Doctor with a serious look 
replied: "I think I understand the mat- 
ter better now than I would have done 
from a sermon." 

How then can we show that we have 
faith in God ? (By trusting in Him and 
by being obedient to Him.) 



104 Religious Education 

The principles which govern such cate- 
chisation are explained in the Intro- 
duction to Kolbe's excellent Catechisation, 
and are briefly as follows: 

1. The catechism explains itself. Noth- 
ing has to be committed to memory ex- 
cept the text of Luther's Catechism and 
the proof texts of the Bible. 

2. The instruction must be intuitive. 
Much instruction in the catechism is 
anything but intuitive. The children 
are tortured with unintelligible sentences, 
abstract ideas and long sentences that 
have to be committed to memory. Such 
teaching gives no pleasure to the teacher 
and bears no fruit in the scholar. In- 
struction is made intuitive by the free 
use of the Bible story. Illustrations from 
life and literature will occur to the teacher, 
and will help to illuminate the subject. 

3. The children must do independent 
work. The questions must be of such 
a character that the child is compelled 
to think in order to give the answer. 

4. Every lesson must produce a defi- 
nite, comprehensible result. The ex- 



The Catechism 105 

animation at the close, and the review at 
the next hour must show that the children 
have mastered the lesson, not because 
they have committed it to memory, but 
because it has become their intellectual 
property. For example: The centurion 
showed in two ways that he believed in 
Jesus. What were they ? Show that 
Abraham believed in God. How may we 
show that we believe in God ? 

This is the modern way of teaching 
the catechism. It is so simple, it teaches 
itself, but it is so effective that it will 
never be forgotten. It has become the 
intellectual and spiritual possession of 
the child. The painful acquisition of 
hundreds of unmeaning phrases is done 
away with. The catechism has become 
a beautiful garden instead of a wearisome 
desert. We call it the modern way but 
in reality it is a very old way. In follow- 
ing it, we are only returning to the methods 
of Fran eke and Comenius, and Luther 
and Gerson and Augustine, perhaps even, 
yes probably, to the methods of the 
Apostolic age. 



XI 
THE GOAL 

TN Christian writings of the fourth 
century we find an expression that is 
foreign to our modern phraseology. They 
speak of "making Christians," (Xqi- 
ouavovg notelv). It contains a suggestion 
worth noting. 

Some look upon children as Christians 
by right of inheritance; others, by right 
of baptism. But whatever our theories 
may be, the object of all of us is so to 
teach and bring up the children that they 
may become mature Christians, Chris- 
tians by personal conviction and experi- 
ence. Or, as has repeatedly been urged 
in these pages, our object is to prepare 
them for participation in the obligations 
and privileges of the Christian church. 

If the church were merely an insti- 
tution, into which our children are in- 
troduced through the family and the 

106 



The Goal 107 

Christian school by the methods that 
have been pointed out, our work would 
be finished when we had made them 
acquainted with certain facts and ac- 
customed them to certain rites and 
practices observed in the church. 

But the church is more than an in- 
stitution, it is a society or fellowship, it is 
"the communion of saints." To bring 
the child into living relation with this 
communion must be the object of all 
our efforts. The family will be broken 
up. The school advances its pupils to 
the point of graduation. But the church 
abides forever. It is the only society 
of this world that continues into the 
life that lies beyond. 

Even when we look upon the child as 
an incipient Christian, the object of 
our instruction must be to enable it, 
when it leaves school, to grow up in- 
dependently in the Christian life. 

The last year of the Christian school, 
the catechumenate proper, is therefore a 
time when our care of souls must in- 
clude what in the early history of the 



108 Religious Education 

church was called the scrutiny. The 
personal relation between pastor and 
child has an increasing importance. It 
has in view that impressive period in 
life when the great decision is made. 

Some churches observe Confirmation. 
The early Lutherans did not approve 
^ ,. . of it, but admitted candidates 

Confirmation . 

to the communion through 
"the catechism" at any convenient season. 
In spite of the many abuses which have 
attached themselves to the modern usage, 
it can still be made useful if proper in- 
struction and scrutiny precede. 

Other churches have introduced De- 
cision Day. Whatever form or name 
Decision m &y be chosen, it is well to 

Day recognize that this is a period 

when a definite choice of the Christian 
life may be made. 

What then are the essential elements 

of the Christian life which a pastor will 

seek to discover in his pupils ? 

First of all is the acceptance 

of Christ as the Saviour. Christ must 

be apprehended as the One "who has 



The Goal 109 

redeemed me from all sins, from death, 
and from the power of the devil, not with 
gold or silver, but with His holy, precious 
blood, and with His innocent sufferings 
and death, in order that I might be His 
own, live under Him in His kingdom and 
serve Him in everlasting righteousness, 
innocence and blessedness. " 

Another element is prayer. Through 
Christ we may believe that God "is 
truly our Father, and we are 
truly His children, so that we 
may ask of Him with all cheerfulness 
and confidence, as dear children of their 
dear father." 

Formal acts of prayer, on waking and 
rising in the morning, on retiring at night, 
at meals, on entering and leaving the 
house of God, all these have their uses 
in the development of the Christian life. 
But prayer is more than an act. It is 
a habit. It is the atmosphere in which 
the child of God continually lives. 

A third element is obedience. The 
Christian necessarily conforms his life 
with the life which he has from Christ. 



110 Religious Education 

The Christ for us becomes the Christ 
The Mystical in us. Some theologians call 
Union it " the mystical union." This 

involves on the one hand the daily con- 
test against sin in its manifold forms, 
the daily "drowning of the old Adam in 
us." On the other hand, it calls forth 
the active service in the work of the Xing, 
the development of the life in which 
Christ is supreme. 

In this new life the agent is the Holy 
Ghost; the means is the word of God; 
the relation is the Holy Church universal, 
the communion of saints; the final goal 
is the life everlasting 



XII 

A SOLUTION 

A/TY theme may seem to involve only 
a question of method, the use of a 
week-day hour in place of or in addition to 
a Sunday hour. But it means far more. 
It illustrates and enforces a principle. 
The church must recognize its relation 
to the child in all stages of its growing 
life, assume its proper function of reli- 
gious instruction, and resist the ever- 
recurring temptation to delegate this 
function to any other agency. 

The question is being discussed from 
many points of view. Teachers, minis- 
ters and the press are on the Three incon- 

| trovertible 

alert to find the way out ot its Positions 
difficulties. Three incontrovertible posi- 
tions face us. Religion is a vital factor 
in education ; the church cannot form an 
alliance with the state in the matter of 
religion; the church must exercise her 
111 



112 Religious Education 

legitimate function in religious education. 
Three solutions of the question have 
been offered: Religion in the public 
school, the parochial school, £j v * u * 

1 Wednesday 

the Sunday-SChool. IS One OI Afternoon 

these meet the requirements. In their 
place is presented a simple, practical 
proposition. Let the public school re- 
store to the church a portion of the time 
which has been surrendered. Give us 
Wednesday afternoon for instructing 
the children who will avail themselves 
of the opportunity. 

In support of this plea we appeal to the 
public school. You owe your existence 
to the Christian week-day school. Your 
best friends and co-workers are to be 
found in our churches. All we ask is that 
you so arrange your course of studies as 
not to prevent us from giving, at our 
own expense, the instruction which we 
believe to be indispensable to all true 
education. 

But we appeal also to the churches, 
and especially to the ministry. This 
scheme throws upon you a very great 



A Solution 113 

task and a large responsibility. And 
you already have so many other things 
to do. But it is certain that nothing 
else that you can do will compare in 
permanence and value with your work 
in the Christian training of your children. 

Roman Catholic bishops tell us that 
without schools they would soon be 
without churches. Protestants will not 
be without churches, but they will have 
stronger congregations, more apprecia- 
tive people and more effective churches, 
when they take the same care of their 
children as do the Roman Catholics. 

Commissioner Harris says: 'The pre- 
rogative of religious instruction is in the 
church, and it must remain in the church, 
and in the nature of things it cannot be 
farmed out to the secular school without 
degenerating into mere deism bereft of a 
living Providence, or else changing the 
school into a parochial school and destroy- 
ing the efficiency of secular instruction." 
— Educational Magazine, 1902. 

Professor Coe says : " If we are to have 
common schools for the whole people 



114 Religious Education: 

complete separation of church and state, 
and yet thoro religious education for 
Catholic and Protestant children alike, 
it follows that the religious function of the 
state schools should be permanently re- 
stricted to friendly recognition of the 
teaching function of the family and of 
the church, and sympathetic co-opera- 
tion with them. * * * But this im- 
plies that these communions voluntarily 
furnish, at their own expense, definite 
and systematic religious training for their 
children and for all children who can 
be reached." — Religion and Morals, 

Bishop Greer says: "The schools are 
doing their part, in their legitimate sphere, 
and are doing all they can do. Is the 
church doing her part in her legitimate 
sphere, and all that she can do? It 
seems to me she is not; and that with 
no other machinery or instruments or 
tools than what she now possesses she 
might do very much more than what she 
now is doing. " — Convention Address, 1905. 

To all of these significant utterances of 
representative men I make this one reply, 



A Solution 115 

Give us Wednesday afternoon. Will not 
this simple concession on the part of the 
public school, and this one step forward 
on the part of the churches, once for all 
solve our problem ? To the public school 
we shall then be able to give our unquali- 
fied support, and in return utilize its vast 
resources. And the work of the Sunday 
school, correlated with that of the week- 
day church school, will acquire a greater 
significance. With a nine years' course 
of systematic instruction for all the chil- 
dren of our churches, in many cases with 
expert helpers, we may hope to attain re- 
sults that were impossible under the 
haphazard methods of the past. 



VIEWS AND COMMENTS 



VIEWS AND COMMENTS 

ANOTHER "THREE rV IN SCHOOL. 

It is a noteworthy coincidence that just 
as the dominant party in British politics 
is moving for the elimination of ecclesi- 
asticism and the advance of secularism in 
the common schools of England a strong 
interdenominational movement should be 
developed here for the introduction of 
religious teaching into the public schools 
of New York. We cannot ignore the 
authority nor doubt the sincerity and 
benevolence of the company of clergymen 
who the other day discussed this subject, 
and expressed themselves strongly in 
favor of having, by state enactment, one 
afternoon a week set apart for religious 
instruction in the schools.* Those gen- 
tlemen were widely representative of Jew 
and Gentile, Catholic and Protestant, 
Episcopal and Independent, and we have 

* These benevolent clergymen proposed nothing of the kind. 
119 



120 Religious Education 

no doubt that they represent, too, a con- 
siderable and most respectable public 
sentiment. There are many thoughtful 
men and women who regard with appre- 
hension the widely prevailing and, they 
fear, increasing irreverence, lawlessness 
and, indeed, actual viciousness among 
school children, and not a few of these 
are inclined to seek a remedy in the in- 
troduction of religious teaching. As one 
of the members of that conference neatly 
expressed it, there seems to them a need 
that the schools shall teach not only the 
old "three R's" of reading, 'riting and 
'rithmetic, but also the other three of 
reverence, righteousness and responsi- 
bility. 

There will be little dispute, we think, 
as to the desirability of that end. The 
question is one of the means by which it is 
to be attained. That the boys — and 
girls, too — of to-day are too often irrev- 
erent in speech and manner, regardless of 
the comforts and rights of others, and 
insubordinate against legitimate authority 
is painfully apparent. We do not refer 



Views and Comments 121 

alone to such young Hooligans as were 
arrested last week and punished for crimi- 
nal rowdyism in elevated railroad trains, 
though, indeed, they and many more like 
them are students in the public schools. 
But upon the better class residence streets 
and in the parks may be found boys be- 
longing to well to do and cultivated 
families who in their games scream out 
all manner of profanities, exult in annoy- 
ing passersby and exhibit defiance toward 
law and order. Granted that much of 
this is pure thoughtlessness. Thoughtless 
habit uncorrected often becomes fixed and 
incorrigible. It is not creditable that 
children should be permitted, even thought- 
lessly, to commit such excesses. It is not 
possible to view without grave concern 
the possibility that such habits will endure 
in maturer life. 

Home influences and parental discipline 
should no doubt correct the evil. But 
they do not, and we are forced to the con- 
clusion that in many cases those are negli- 
gible factors, if not actually infinitesimal. 
Parents, for the sake of their own comfort, 



122 Religious Education 

object to their children playing the Hooli- 
gan in their own dooryards, but let them 
go down the street and annoy other people 
without hindrance or reproof, while for an 
outraged neighbor to undertake the work 
of correction or even to complain of the 
nuisance is imperiously resented in the 
tone of "My child can do no wrong!" 
Nor are there lacking those among other- 
wise intelligent and reasonable men and 
women who practically disclaim respon- 
sibility for their children's conduct. They 
send them, they say, to school five days 
a week and to Sunday-school on Sunday, 
and it is the business of those institutions 
to teach them everything. Why should 
they pay taxes for the support of the 
schools if the father must stay home from 
the races or the club and the mother from 
the matinee or the bridge party to teach 
their children themselves ? 

Despite the need, however, there will be 
a widespread doubt of the wisdom of 
seeking to supply it in the way these 
clergymen have suggested. The intro- 
duction of anything like ecclesiastical or 



Views and Comments 123 

sectarian teaching into the public schools 
— even if the people should permit it, 
which we have no idea they would do — 
would bear with it a menace of mis- 
chief which these very men would be first 
to deplore: and the practicability of 
having religious instruction given in the 
schools without danger of sectarian propa- 
ganda is scarcely to be conceded* 
Reverence for those things which the best 
general sentiment of mankind holds 
worthy of reverence, righteousness, in 
cleanliness of speech and thought and 
honesty of conduct, and responsibility, 
in regard for law and lawful authority, 
should be taught, we believe, in the schools 
as well as in the home. But we are also 
persuaded that they would best be taught, 
not by special teachers in special services, 
but by the regular teachers throughout 
all the ordinary exercises ; and we are in- 
clined to think that effort would most 
profitably be made toward that end by 
securing for all schools teachers who 



*Very true. But our plan does not propose to introduce sec- 
tarian teaching into the public schools. 



124 Religious Education 

would exert such influences, and by 
arousing among parents a realization of 
the duty which rests upon them of at 
least actively co-operating with the schools 
in the right training of their children. — 
New York Daily Tribune, May 7, 1906. 

SUNDAY-SCHOOLS ON WEDNESDAY 

In the unanimous opinion of the emi- 
nent clergymen of many denominations, 
too often inharmonious, who met in the 
United Charities Building this week to 
consider the "problem" of religious in- 
struction for the children in the public 
schools, something like a solution of that 
problem can be reached in a very simple 
way. The plan suggested, and apparently 
approved — though evidently with varying 
degrees of hope — by all of them is to 
establish what, for want of a better name, 
may be called Wednesday afternoon Sun- 
day-schools in the various churches and 
synagogues, to which all the public school 
scholars are to be sent under the same 
sort of compulsion that forces their at- 
tendance at the secular schools. The im- 



Views and Comments 125 

possibility of giving in the public schools 
any kind of religious instruction that 
would be acceptable to all the parents in 
such a mixed population as ours was 
frankly recognized, and this, it seems to 
us, marked a new and desirable appre- 
ciation of facts, but we cannot avoid the 
impression that the clergymen were un- 
duly confident as to the practicability of 
the schools they had in mind. Would 
there not be the same, and just as much, 
difficulty in making the children go to 
Sunday-school on Wednesday as there is 
in making them do it on Sunday? The 
latter day, according to the admission of 
many of the clergymen, has become for 
thousands little more than a day of recre- 
ation, and why they thought Wednesday 
afternoon would be otherwise used if the 
public schools were closed then is far 
from obvious. The suggestion that the 
truant officers could force the children 
to the churches as well as to the schools 
ignores the circumstances that there is 
practically no difference of opinion as to 
the value of primary education of the 



126 Religious Education 

sort now given by the city. For that 
reason public sentiment supports the tru- 
ant officers in the performance of their 
present duties. If they attempted to ex- 
ercise the same authority in sending chil- 
dren to church for religious instruction 
they would not be likely to get much sup- 
port from the parents who do not already 
see to it that their children attend the 
Sunday schools provided by all sects and 
denominations, and a large crop of as- 
sorted controversies and troubles would 
be almost sure to grow up. So, instead 
of agreeing with those at this meeting 
in holding the idea of a Wednesday after- 
noon Sunday-school to be a hopeful one, 
we are disposed to consider it almost 
hopeless. The clergy have the best of 
rights to advise the instruction of chil- 
dren in something more than the three 
R's of tradition, but it is a pity that they 
cannot give such advice without somehow 
always dragging in the public schools, the 
commendable purposes of which are as 
different as are those of grocery stores 

Or SUgar refineries. N. Y. Times, May 2, 1906. 



Views and Comments 127 

religion in public schools 

One of the most striking and suggest- 
ive incidents in connection with the re- 
cent Conference on Federation was the 
reception given to the paper read before 
it by the Rev. George U. Wenner, D. D., 
president of the Evangelical Lutheran 
Synod of New York and New Jersey. 
Dr. Wenner wrote upon "Week-Day Re- 
ligious Education." He strongly depicted 
the deficiencies of the present system of 
religious instruction, emphasized the im- 
portance of the principle of "unity" in ed- 
ucation, and ended by urging that the 
church ask the public school, which surely 
owes to it a large unpaid debt, that it should 
restore to the church one afternoon a week 
— say Wednesday afternoon — for purposes 
of religious instruction. This proposition 
was received with great applause, and 
was subsequently embodied in a formal 
resolution, which passed without a word 
of opposition and by unanimous vote. 

It is yet far too early to attempt to 
measure the significance of any action 



128 Religious Education 

taken by this Conference. It was nomi- 
nally representative of some thirty de- 
nominational bodies, with over eighteen 
million adherents. If the adoption of this 
resolution were to be regarded as really 
the matured decision and determined 
purpose of the united evangelical churches 
of America, it would be impossible to see 
in this action anything else than the for- 
mal reopening of a question long supposed 
to be settled, the serious renewal of a 
strife supposed to be ended. It has been 
for some time obvious to the intelligent 
observer that strong forces were making 
in this direction. The experience of 
France, which abolished religion from the 
public schools only to find it necessary, 
for the very children's sake, to restore it, 
has not passed unheeded. The results 
of exclusion from our own schools have 
awakened serious misgivings. The edu- 
cational system — religiously — is certainly 
far from satisfactory. But one would 
hardly have anticipated that so radical a 
proposition as this would have received so 
ready an endorsement in so high a place. 



Views and Comments 129 

We seriously doubt if the action of the 
Conference can be taken as really repre- 
sentative of any matured purpose on the 
part of American Protestantism, or any 
large portion thereof. Nevertheless, the 
passing of such a resolution is a most 
significant sign of the times. It certainly 
indicates a grave discontent with the 
present system in religious education. 
There is good reason for that discontent. 
The neglect of religious training even in 
professedly Christian families; the fact 
that the Sunday-school, at best, includes 
but a fraction of the children needing in- 
struction; and the further fact, according 
to the best authorities, that though the 
Sunday-school is often extolled as an 
"evangelizing agency," it yet graduates 
three students into the world to two into 
the church, creates a serious situation 
that it is quite impossible to ignore. 
Whether to "give us Wednesday after- 
noon," according to Dr. Wenner's im- 
passioned plea, is the coming solution of 
our difficulties, may be gravely doubted. 
But it was well that the entire matter 



130 Religious Education 

should be brought before the attention 
of the Christian world in a form to arrest 
attention. If this proposal of the Con- 
ference shall provide a thorough dis- 
cussion of the entire situation, it will — even 
though it should have done no more — 
quite pay for its existence. — The Ex- 
aminer, November, 30, 1905. 

religious education on week days 

We believe three things to be true* 
First, that in the public schools there is no 
religious teaching of any kind worth the 
name, and that there never will be any 
more than there is now. Second, that 
home teaching by Christians is much less 
than it was. If it be asked on what 
ground we hold this opinion we answer 
that it is the judgment of many pastors 
and many of the best Sunday-school-teach- 
ers, that it is the testimony of many chil- 
dren, and is the judgment of and is ad- 
mitted by many parents when inquired 
of upon the subject, that the Sunday- 
schools are depended on for the religious 
instruction of the children. Parents who 



Views and Comments 131 

were devout Christians were in the habit 
of instructing their children, and also of 
requiring the children to learn the Sunday- 
school lessons at home. The larger part 
of the instruction now given is that im- 
parted to infants and little children by 
their mothers. This is the principal 
survival of the family teaching that was 
formerly very common in the Presby- 
terian and Baptist Churches, and generally 
in the more regular Methodists. The 
explanation of the expression "regular 
Methodists" is this, that there has always 
been a certain class of Methodists who 
depended exclusively on meetings and 
emotional appeals, but the bone and 
sinew of the denomination, while desiring 
to be moved upon by the Spirit and 
by the preaching of the Gospel, fol- 
lowed Mr. Wesley's plan and constantly 
read the Scriptures and religious books, 
observed family prayers, took their chil- 
dren to the regular worship of the House 
of God, and took great pains to endorse 
every good maxim and to intensify every 
appeal made by the pastors. The third 



132 Religious Education 

thing that we firmly believe is, that were 
the Sunday school absolutely perfect in 
government, in teaching force, in system, 
in punctuality, one hour a week would 
not suffice, without other means, to make 
a permanent impression upon any but a 
small minority of the scholars. What, 
then, can be expected when it is impossi- 
ble to suppose that the Sunday schools 
answer the description here supposed? 
The evangelical churches have much to 
learn from Catholic methods in the teach- 
ing of children. Other denominations 
have very much to learn from the Luther- 
ans. The Presbyterians and Baptists 
need to remember to put in practice their 
former methods; but circumstances have 
changed. Most people now live at long 
distances from their places of business, 
and the great majority, especially in cities, 
spend from a fourth to a third of their 
lives away from home, including in this 
the summer begira. If the public authori- 
ties would consent to Dr. Wenner's 
proposition, it would give a great impetus 
to religious education of children. Such a 



Views and Comments 133 

method could not be made popular by 
mere discussion. It would be necessary 
to have the plan tried in some school or 
some section of a large city. In case it 
succeeded it might then spread. At all 
events something should be done. We 
have a proposition which, after we have 
given it a little more thought, will be of- 
fered to pastors situated so as to make 
it feasible. Meanwhile we commend to 
them and to all parents, to Christian 
teachers of public schools, to public school 
superintendents and committees, to con- 
sider whether the plan could be tried in their 
section. Some communities are so homo- 
geneous that there would be no difficulty 
in making the experiment. — The Chris- 
tian Advocate, February 8, 1906. 

RELIGION AND THE SCHOOLS 

It is claimed by some that our common 
schools are irreligious, and while this 
assertion is largely urged in the interest 
of some particular form of religion, there 
is enough foundation for the assertion to 
make worth while an inquiry as to actual 



134 Religious Education 

conditions and as to how they may be 
improved. 

It is not strictly true that our schools 
are irreligious. They hold the same 
relation to religion as the state to its citi- 
zens. By law and precedent the right 
of citizenship is accorded to all, irrespec- 
tive of creed or religious conviction; yet 
we are a Christian nation, preserving 
the religious characteristics of the first 
settlers as has been uniformly recog- 
nized by the highest courts of the states 
and the nation, by the constitutions of 
most of the states, and by legislation for 
Sunday observance and the protection of 
Christian morals. So in our schools an 
education is provided for all without re- 
gard to creed, and the only restriction is 
against propagating any particular type 
of religion, not against religion itself, or 
the morality underlying our Christian 
civilization. In fact and practice prayer 
and reading of the Bible in nearly all the 
states and in most schools, continue a 
survival of what was universal in the for- 
mative period of the nation, when the 



Views and Comments 135 

school was a recognized adjunct of the 
church. 

Our cosmopolitan population and the 
entire passing over of primary and sec- 
ondary schools into the hands of the 
state have minimized the recognition and 
teaching of religion in them, and while 
not irreligious, our schools have become 
non-religious to a far greater extent than is 
desirable for the future good of the nation. 

Our people are firm in the conviction 
that education is fundamental in a free 
republic, and that public schools open to 
all must be maintained. Equally strong 
is the conviction that there can be no true 
education without religion. The recon- 
ciliation of these two ideas is the problem 
which confronts thoughtful minds. There 
is a growing persuasion that the great need 
of the schools is more religious instruction 
and a better grounding of our future 
citizens in Bible morality and Christian 
ethics. 

How to secure this in a school where 
Jews, Romanists, Protestants, and in- 
fidels are expected to meet on common 



136 Religious Education 

ground is confessedly difficult. It is far 
more so with us, than in countries where 
the separation of church and state is more 
recent or less complete, and where the 
schools are under more direct govern- 
ment control. Other Christian countries 
have met the same problem and found 
a temporary, if not a final solution. In 
Germany religious instruction is given 
precedence and at least five hours a week 
in every school is given to it. In England, 
while the Non- Conformist Churches and 
adherents have protested against schools 
under the control of the established 
church, all expect and desire that in the 
national, as well as the board schools, re- 
ligious instruction, of a non-sectarian 
type, should be provided for every child. 
In France, the separation of church and 
state has completely secularized the 
schools, yet provision is made for religious 
instruction, by setting apart Thursday of 
each week for such instruction as the 
churches may desire to give. 

How is it with us ? As has been said, 
in the vast majority of our schools there is 



Views and Comments 137 

a recognition of religion in the opening 
exercises, but even this is often protested 
against, and inadequately meets the need. 
Religious instruction has to be otherwise 
provided. The Roman Catholic Church 
meets the problem by the parochial 
school, and agitates continually for help 
from the state in its support. Some 
Protestants, as the Moravians and a por- 
tion of the Lutheran Church, also main- 
tain parochial schools, but with no de- 
mand or expectation of aid from the public 
treasury. Our own church experimented 
somewhat in this line, but with us, as 
with most Protestants, this solution has 
not met with favor. 

The dependence for religious instruc- 
tion of the children consequently has been 
on the Sunday-school, and the important 
sphere this has come to occupy has called 
special attention to its limitations, and 
the need of better methods. One hour 
a week, with teachers inadequately trained, 
and attendance voluntary and irreg- 
ular, with no means of enforcing study — 
surely the religious training afforded by 



138 Religious Education 

the Sunday-school must be meagre and 
unsatisfactory. Where not reinforced by 
home teaching, its results are disap- 
pointing. 

These considerations make pertinent 
the suggestion of Dr. Wenner, of this city, 
that a modification of the plan adopted in 
France be introduced in our American 
system. There, one whole day is sur- 
rendered to religious instruction under 
direction of the church. He suggests 
that surely here a half-day, e. g., Wednes- 
day afternoon, could be surrendered to 
the churches for such religious instruction 
as they may provide. Under this plan 
the school curriculum could be arranged 
so that the absentees should not suffer 
serious loss, and the non-church children 
need not be turned into the street. Under 
it the attendance on the instruction given 
by the church should be the basis of an 
excuse for absence, and be enforced as 
part of the regular school curriculum. 
When the importance of systematic reli- 
gious instruction of the children is con- 
sidered, this suggestion is worthy of care- 



Views and Comments 139 

ful consideration. There are difficulties 
in working out such a scheme, but they 
are not insuperable, and the end to be 
attained is well worth the co-operation of 
school boards and the churches in secur- 
ing for it a trial. — The Christian Intelli- 
gencer, February 28, 1906. 

WEEK-DAY RELIGIOUS 
EDUCATION 

At the recent meeting in New York of 
the Inter-Church Conference on Federa- 
tion, Dr. G. U. Wenner read a paper on 
" Week-Day Religious Instruction," which 
made a deep impression on the Confer- 
ence, and afterward received favorable 
notice from the religious press in general. 
The Conference unanimously adopted 
the following resolution prepared by him : 

"Resolved, That in the need of more 
systematic education in religion, we recom- 
mend for the favorable consideration of 
the public school authorities of the coun- 
try the proposal to allow the children to 
absent themselves, without detriment, 
from the public school on Wednesday, or 



140 Religious Education 

on some other afternoon of the school 
week, for the purpose of attending re- 
ligious instruction in their own churches; 
and we urge upon the churches the ad- 
visability of availing themselves of the 
opportunity so granted to give such in- 
struction in addition to that given on 
Sunday." 

The resolution gives the gist of the 
paper, which, however, removes the ob- 
jection that might be urged against turn- 
ing upon the street a crowd of children 
who might not be required by their par- 
ents to attend religious instruction. Dr. 
Wenner says: "This does not involve 
the closing of the public school on Wed- 
nesday afternoon, and turning the non- 
church children into the street. It simply 
asks that the children attending the 
church school shall be excused for their 
absence. The course of study might be 
so arranged that absentees would not 
suffer an irreparable loss. Music, eti- 
quette, or ethics, or some other substi- 
tute for religion, might be given to those 
who remain." 



Views and Comments 141 

We do not intend to argue the subject 
in this article further than to state a few 
propositions, which may be readily de- 
fended, if not deemed almost self-evident: 

1. No education is complete that lacks 
religious instruction. 

2. This instruction is not given in the 
public school. 

3. The public school, under present 
circumstances, cannot give it. 

4. The home in most cases does not 
supply it. 

5. The present Sunday-school is in- 
adequate to give it in sufficient measure. 

6. The parochial school, which might 
solve the problem, seems to many to be 
un-American, and certainly is not popu- 
lar with Protestants. 

Dr. Wenner's proposition seems to 
offer the best present solution of the prob- 
lem. A plan somewhat similar is now 
in practical operation in France. Per- 
haps, by way of experiment, Saturday 
afternoon for a period of two hours might 
be chosen. 

The practical application of Dr. Wen- 



142 Religious Education 

ner's idea is the matter that concerns us 
most in this article. It seems to us that in 
his resolution he puts the initiative at the 
wrong place. " The public school author- 
ities" are not likely to make the start. 
The churches must do this in some way. 
The best way which occurs to us at this 
writing is to do this through the local 
ministerial society, which exists already 
or may be formed. The ministers ought 
to take the lead. It is their legitimate 
business to do so. Their efforts would 
receive the support of the Christian 
people; and the "school authorities" 
would fall into line. 

In small communities a single religious 
school might do the required work. The 
pastors or competent day-school teachers 
could do the teaching. In larger towns 
the children of the same or allied denom- 
inations might be gathered into one school. 
Of course, the details would have to be 
worked out by committees and modified 
by experience. The matter of instruction 
must naturally be Biblical and Christian, 
but not confessional or sectarian. 



Views and Comments 143 

The scheme will not be generally 
adopted at once, if at all. There must 
be an object-lesson first. It seems to us 
that one of our larger inland towns ought to 
give it. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, for ex- 
ample, the residence of the indefatigable 
Dr. Schmauk, who has done so much in 
preparing graded lessons, is an ideal place 
for the experiment. Easton, Carlisle, 
and York offer favorable conditions. And 
there are scores of other towns throughout 
the country which ought to take to the 
idea. The places mentioned are more 
particularly known to the writer. We 
most earnestly commend to the consider- 
ation of the Protestant clergy of these 
cities the matter of week-day religious 
education. — Prof. J. A. Singmaster, in 
The Lutheran Observer. 

THE CHURCH AND THE SCHOOLS 

A proposal is being seriously considered 
by representatives of many Churches, not 
all of them Christian, to secure the co-oper- 
ation of the state and city educational 
authorities with the churches in a plan for 



144 Religious Education 

the religious education of school children. 
At a meeting, in New York, of which an 
account will be found in our news columns, 
representatives of our own church, of the 
Roman Catholics, Methodists, Presbyte- 
rians, Congregationalists and Jews, joined 
in more or less qualified commendation 
of the proposal of a committee appointed 
some months ago to consider the matter. 
The proposal was that public school 
children, who might desire it, or whose 
parents desired it for them, should be 
excused from the Wednesday afternoon 
session of the public schools that they 
might receive instruction in their respec- 
tive churches. Of this plan Bishop 
Greer said: "If it does not succeed it 
will not be the fault of the schools — it 
will be the fault of the churches. At all 
events it is an experiment that is well 
worth trying." 

We are not so sure of that. It seems 
to us an experiment of very doubtful ex- 
pediency ; one that we would much rather 
leave untried. With all that Bishop 
Greer said in commendation of the great 



Views and Comments 145 

patriotic work of the public schools, with 
his indignant repudiation of the aspersion 
that they are "godless," we are in hearty 
accord. We agree with him entirely, too, 
that it is not the business of the public 
schools to give religious instruction. But 
neither is it their business to see that it is 
given. "It is for the churches to give 
religious training," said Bishop Greer, 
"that is what the churches are for." 
"What they ask," he continued, "is that 
they have the opportunity of doing what 
they exist to do." This "opportunity" of 
which Bishop Greer speaks would amount 
under this proposal to the opportu- 
nity to compel attendance at [religious 
instruction by the use of the same system 
that the state has devised to ensure at- 
tendance at public schools. The churches 
apparently, to ensure their " opportunity," 
propose to invoke the aid of the truant 
officer. Moreover, they propose that one- 
tenth of the time which the state con- 
siders necessary for the child's instruc- 
tion and for the full employment of which 
the tax-payers are paying, shall be taken 



146 Religious Education 

for use by instructors of whose pedagogi- 
cal competence the state has no knowl- 
edge, and over whom it can exercise no 
control. The public schools need all the 
time they can get for their work. They 
have not an hour too much. The supposi- 
tion that one session out of the ten in 
each week can be given to " relatively un- 
important" studies shows a strange ig- 
norance of the conditions under which the 
school curriculum is devised, and of the 
anxious care with which the various ele- 
ments in education are balanced against 
one another, that every minute may be 
used to the utmost. We want no inter- 
ference of the state in education by the 
church and no interference by the church 
in education by the state. The plan 
seems to us bad in itself, even if it were 
found practicable. It would prove even 
worse in the results to which it would in- 
evitably lead. For surely the benefit of re- 
ligious instruction would be a question- 
able quantity if children found it so 
uninteresting or their parents were so 
indifferent to its value that they must be 



Views and Comments 147 

dragged to the church to receive it. The 
church must win her children; she can- 
not force them into allegiance. 

We do not wish to create in this coun- 
try conditions that are distracting the 
English Church and Parliament and in- 
juring the efficiency of both. We cannot 
forget that the plan has the support of 
the traditional enemies of public educa- 
tion. To opponents of the American sys- 
tem we would say in challenge and to its 
friends in warning: Hands off the public 
schools. — The Churchman, May 12, 1906. 

RELIGION AND THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS 

To the Editor of the Churchman: 

As secretary of the Missionary Thank- 
Off ering Committee lam enjoying an un- 
usual opportunity to confer with laymen 
and clergymen all over the country, re- 
specting the points of strength and weak- 
ness in the work of our church. I find 
a large number of intelligent people 
who share the opinion which I have ven- 
tured to form upon this subject. That 
opinion is that we are bringing annually 



148 Religious Education 

into vital relation with Christ a number 
of men, pitiably small, when regard is had 
to our great scheme of church organiza- 
tion and to the power of the message with 
which we are entrusted. In the great ma- 
jority of parishes there is little vital re- 
ligion among men. In the relatively small 
missionary work of the church the men 
have hitherto taken an insignificant part. 
I state what I believe to be facts, not at 
all in a spirit of hopelessness and depres- 
sion, but as one who is awestricken iu 
the presence of so great an opportunity 
for the work of Christian education. I be- 
lieve it was Horace Bushnell who, in reply 
to the question, "Has not Christianity 
been a failure?" replied, "How can it 
have failed? It has never been tried." 
This was an exaggeration; but only an 
exaggeration; not a statement wholly 
false. In searching for the causes of 
weakness in the church, would it not be 
wise to consider whether this is not one 
of them — -that we are not giving Chris- 
tianity a fair trial ? 

I venture to affirm that what we need 



Views and Comments 149 

is more direct and positive teaching, in 
the pulpit, at missionary conferences and 
in the columns of the church papers, re- 
specting the essence of Christianity, which 
I take to be this — that it is absolute devo- 
tion to Jesus Christ as not only our Lord 
but our Friend. We have a simple mes- 
sage; but, if properly delivered, it will 
find a lodgment in every soul. As our 
Gospel is the good news of the redeeming 
love of our Friend, so our message is the 
proclamation of our duty to Him. That 
duty is twofold; first, to make ourselves 
fit to associate with Him and hold com- 
munion with Him; second, to co-operate 
with Him in bringing all men everywhere 
into the personal relation of friendship 
with Him. But "how shall they call on 
Him in whom they have not believed ? 
And how shall they believe in Him of 
whom they have not heard? And how 
shall they hear without a preacher? 
And how shall they preach except they 
be sent?" 

It is not enough that we have a mes- 
sage. It is not even enough that we utter 



150 Religious Education 

it ourselves and send others to do like- 
wise. We must devise means to bring 
within range of the message those for 
whom it is intended. I am not speaking 
at the moment of the heathen but of two 
classes of people who sustain a geograph- 
ical or family relationship to our parish 
churches — the men and the children. 

To reach the men and the older boys, 
the M. T. O. movement has been inaugu- 
rated and already God has blessed its 
progress. I do not refer to the money- 
raising aspect of the movement. Money 
giving, except as an expression of devo- 
tion, is of little or no subjective value. 
I speak of the anointing of blind eyes 
to see the vision of a world to be won 
for Christ and the unstopping of deaf 
ears to hear the cry of souls that must 
be saved. The working of these miracles 
is the primary purpose of the M. T. O. 

But what about the children? It is 
plain that they cannot " believe in Him of 
whom they have not heard." The lack 
of insight into the heart of Christianity 
upon the part of this generation of 



Views and Comments 151 

adults shows that they have been defec- 
tively taught. What about the rising gen- 
eration ? Here is a great opportunity and 
a solemn responsibility. Of course nor- 
mal children do not want to be taught 
and will not come voluntarily. By the 
time we have trained the parents to com- 
pel them to hear our message the chil- 
dren will be parents themselves — and we 
shall have the work to do over again. As 
a matter of course, we compel children to 
receive secular instruction. We know 
that interest and even zeal will come with 
the recognition of ignorance and the 
vision of knowledge. Accordingly it is pro- 
posed in New York, as you explain in 
your issue of May 12th, to allow Christian 
instruction in a child's own church on 
Wednesday afternoons to count in lieu of 
an afternoon's attendance upon public 
school. Christianity must be imparted 
to the children of the church, not by 
preaching but by careful and systematic 
teaching. What place more appropriate 
than the parish church? What thought 
more important to the child than the 



152 Religious Education 

thought that to learn to know Christ — 
not to know about Him — is an essential 
part of education? Yet in your editorial 
you say: "Surely the benefit of religious 
instruction would be a questionable quan- 
tity if children found it so uninteresting 
or their parents were so indifferent to its 
value that they must be dragged to the 
church to receive it. The church must 
win her children; she cannot force them 
into allegiance." Am I manifesting an 
unchristian spirit if T ask whether these 
are the words of one who believes that 
the future of our nation and of our 
church depends upon bringing young 
children to Christ? 

But you say : " The public schools need 
all the time they can get for their work. 
They have not an hour too much. The 
supposition that one session out of the ten 
in each week can be given to 'relatively 
unimportant' studies, shows a strange 
ignorance of the conditions under which 
the school curriculum is devised, and of 
the anxious care with which the various 
elements in education are balanced 



Views and Comments 153 

against one another, that every minute 
may be used to the utmost." Not at all 
in a controversial spirit, may I ask the 
writer of these words this question: 
"What is the relative importance of secu- 
lar education and of the knowledge of 
Christ?" Of course school hours are all 
too short for learning. Art is long and 
time is fleeting. But the real question is : 
Shall the little time for learning be de- 
voted exclusively to other subjects than 
learning to know Christ? 

It is proposed, you say, "that one-tenth 
of the time which the state considers 
necessary for the child's instruction and 
for the full employment of which the tax- 
payers are paying, shall be taken for use 
by instructors of whose pedagogical com- 
petence the state has no knowledge, and 
over whom it can exercise no control." 
"The state" means you and the rest of 
us. As far as we churchmen and our 
children are concerned, it is proposed that 
the teaching shall be done in our own 
churches and under the direction of our 
own clergy. Whose fault is it if we have 



154 Religious Education 

no knowledge of their "pedagogical com- 
petency," and if we exercise no control 
over them ? 

Finally you observe: "We want no in- 
terference of the state in education by the 
church, and no interference by the 
church in education by the state," and 
you close by a reference to the conditions 
that are distracting the English Church 
and Parliament. Is it your opinion that 
the separation of church and state should 
be so complete that our people as a whole 
are to be indifferent whether or not 
the children receive religious instruction 
from the church of their parents' choice ? 
If you do not mean this, what do you 
mean ? In England they are at least dis- 
tracted over the effort to solve this diffi- 
cult problem. Because of its difficulty 
shall we give it up in advance ? The plan 
proposed in New York avoids the chief 
difficulties which have caused trouble in 
England, yet your language seems to im- 
ply that we proposed to try an experiment 
which has failed. May those of us who 
believe that Christian education alone can 



Views and Comments 155 

appease the hunger of the age call upon 
you for some constructive suggestion ? If 
you have a better plan than this, we 
solemnly adjure you to make it public. 
Do not tell us: "The churches are open; 
the children ought to go voluntarily and 
be taught there." We have tried this ex- 
periment and it has failed. Do not say: 
"This matter of Christian instruction is 
the business of the parents." Perhaps so; 
but the parents are not attending to 
their business. Do not point to voluntary 
attendance upon Sunday-school as the 
solution of the difficulty. The Sunday- 
school is a blessed institution, but it 
reaches only a corner of the field. The 
point is, Mr. Editor, that multitudes of 
the children of the Church are dying or 
growing up without being brought to the 
knowledge of Christ. This is your fault 
and mine. What are we going to do 
about it? Your only reply so far is, 
"Hands off the public schools." Nobody 
has suggested laying hands on the public 
schools. The proposition is to lay hands 
upon your children and mine, and to 



156 Religious Education 

bring them within reach of the voice of 
Jesus Christ. Instead of opposing, will 
you not help? 

G. W. Pepper. 
Philadelphia — {The Churchman, May 
26, 1906.) 

RELIGION AND THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS 

To the Editor of the Churchman: 

Your editorial of May 12th concerning 
the proposition to have the public school 
authorities excuse the children of such 
parents as desire it from attendance at 
school on Wednesday afternoons, in order 
that they may be instructed elsewhere in 
religious subjects, has not been replied to 
in your issue of to-day. Failing a more 
competent person to answer your objec- 
tions, may 1 make several suggestions in 
this connection ? 

(1) There is no complete and fully 
formulated proposition before us as yet, 
other than what is roughly stated above. 
At the same meeting where one speaker 
said that he would consider it beneficial 
to have truant officers compel attendance, 



Views and Comments 157 

another said that there would be nothing 
to prevent some parents — though he 
thought that there would be very few of 
such — from taking advantage of this to 
keep their children at home for other rea- 
sons than to have them taught religion. 
Certainly many of us agree with you " that 
it is not the business of the public schools 
to give religious instruction," and 
'"neither is it their business to see that it 
is given." So also your statement that 
this is a demand for " 10 per cent" of the 
work hours of the school week depends 
upon the hour when the children shall be 
excused, and this is not yet determined. 
Evidently while discussion of details is 
quite to the point, condemnation of the 
scheme for such reasons is quite prema- 
ture. 

(2) Your next objection is that "The 
public schools need all the time that they 
can get for work. They have not an hour 
too much." Comparing our educational 
system with that of other Christian na- 
tions, we are alone, so far as 1 know, in 
not providing for religious instruction 



158 Religious Education 

within the school week. As a people, we 
have decided, and most of us think very 
wisely decided, that we shall not have 
religion taught by the state. But having 
surrendered these hours which other na- 
tions use for religious training, to purely 
secular training, does our secular training 
for that reason outstrip all others — the 
Germans, for instance? Yet they in- 
variably have religion among their set 
tasks of the week. Or is it true again, as 
you claim, that there are no "relatively 
unimportant" studies which might be put 
on the Wednesday afternoon public school 
schedule? Here are certain subjects 
taught in the public schools to children 
of fourteen years and under, which do not 
all appear to be of first importance: 

Carpentry, sewing, cooking, drawing, 
hygiene, singing, construction work 
(fancy boxes, etc.). 

But now suppose it be asked if we have 
not our Sunday-schools to teach religious 
subjects on Sunday ? The best answer to 
that would seem to be that, barring rare 
exceptions, the Sunday-school simply 



Views and Comments 159 

does not do the work — and this in a day 
when there is little or no religious instruc- 
tion at home, and therefore children must 
be taught outside. Two things, certainly, 
are accomplished in our Sunday-schools: 
in the person of the teacher the child 
comes into contact with a maturer 
Christian and often a highly consecrated 
character, and furthermore it is brought 
to public worship. These are splendid 
results, the value of which cannot be over- 
estimated. But still crowds of children 
slip away forever from Sunday-school, 
never becoming church members, owing 
to the fact that religion soon ceases to 
interest and appeal to them — perhaps it 
never did — and those who do pass on into 
church are inadequately taught. 

Among the causes for this failure we 
may note that, first, there is not time 
enough. Could you teach a child to read 
if you had him as one of an often dis- 
orderly class, for a lesson of from twenty 
to thirty-five minutes once a week, or 
could you teach him arithmetic, or re- 
ligious truths, or anything, except in a 



160 Religious Education 

most superficial manner ? As a matter of 
fact, you cannot and you do not, even if 
you are a clever teacher. And as a second 
cause of failure the teaching staff is not 
adequate for the work, often as to train- 
ing and generally as to numbers. Leav- 
ing aside that class of teachers who stay 
at home because it rains or a friend calls, 
what the teacher accomplishes is com- 
monly more in the line of character build- 
ing than instructing, and if anything of 
real value is done by a good teacher, be 
sure that the pupils are met outside the 
regular Sunday-school session, and that 
brings us back to this question of week- 
day work. 

It is necessary here that we should 
recognize that the standard of religious 
instruction which Christian people in 
America are contented with is shamefully 
low — there is nothing like it certainly 
among the Northern nations of Europe. 
To say nothing of the average, your good 
Sunday-school pupil can glibly recite the 
catechism, but, even if in an advanced 
grade, what can he tell of the doctrine of 



Views and Comments 161 

the Atonement or the evidences of the 
Resurrection of our Lord ? He knows the 
graphic stories of the Old Testament, but 
the profounder things concerning the 
struggles of the ancient Hebrew church 
are beyond him, while the beauty and 
majesty of the Hebrew prophets is a 
closed book even to many an older 
churchman who never had his eyes 
opened in his youth. The life of our Lord 
is learned in outline — fortunately the 
church year prevents our getting far 
from that — but how much thorough 
knowledge is there of this greatest of 
subjects ? Think also of the life of St. 
Paul, the early church, church history, 
including the Reformation and our Amer- 
ican church, the story of Christian Mis- 
sions and the formation of our Prayer 
Book — no wonder that the men who are 
interested in seeing some real and thor- 
ough work done among our children and 
young people are discouraged. Nor does 
it lessen the discouragement to be told to 
go back and be content with one-half 
hour on Sunday ! There is simply one way 



162 Religious Education 

to meet the problem. We must have op- 
portunity to teach the children on a week- 
day, and we must have them taught by 
persons who have been trained to the 
work, and this not to supplant but rather 
to supplement the Sunday-school. 

But here one may perhaps say, Take 
the children during the week if you will, 
but take them after school hours. Does 
such an objector know children after 
school hours? Still some of us will take 
them — some of us are already taking 
them — tired little bodies though they are, 
and going home to study their evening 
lessons later on, too. But we dare not 
neglect them while we are waiting for 
their elders to provide a fair and proper 
time for this important part of their work. 

Again, another objector may say that, 
if clergy and parish staff, commonly hard 
worked enough, are to do this work, what 
is to become a regular parochial routine ? 
The reply is that parochial duties must 
always be taken up in the order of their 
importance, and the older parishioners 
must be educated up to seeing that this 



Views and Comments 163 

may demand a sacrifice on their part. 
# # * # # It can be done and it 
will be done if we realize that the place 
for the children is in the front ranks. We 
elders must look over their heads. 

Other objectors doubtless will also 
raise other points — everything can be 
criticized — but this question is up now, 
and be sure it is with us to stay until we 
solve it. Whether or not we get Wednes- 
day afternoon or any portion of it, whether 
one favors or objects to any particular 
scheme, the fact remains that the children 
are knocking at the door of the church, 
and I venture to say that as the church 
answers this appeal which is now begin- 
ning to sound in her ears, so she deter- 
mines her own future. That future is to 
be built up out of these very children, by 
the aid of the spirit of God, and He surely 
will not lavish His grace upon any church 
or any religious body which neglects 
them. Thornton Floyd Turner. 

New York. 

(The Churchman, June 9, 1906.) 



APPENDIX 



APPENDIX 

RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION AND THE 
PUBLIC SCHOOL 

An address before the Federation of Churches, 
Berkeley, California, by Frank F. Bunker, Super- 
intendent of Schools 3 Berkeley, California, Octo- 
ber 24, 1910. 

WHILE not all of our American States 
have excluded the Bible wholly from their 
schools, yet without doubt strictly secular and 
neutral positions have been maintained by all. 
Though neither religious training nor religious 
instruction are to be found in them, it must 
by no means be thought that the public schools 
ignore the end which religion seeks, namely, 
the development of a sturdy moral character. 
In point of fact, in recent years there is no 
question which has been more to the front in 
every educational gathering throughout our 
country than this question of training for char- 
acter, and in every school an earnest effort is 
being made to secure increasingly better re- 
sults therein. 

Except in a few of our schools, the means 
employed by American educators to secure this 
167 



168 Religious Education 

moral training are largely indirect rather than 
direct. To illustrate: The routine of a well- 
ordered school cultivates habits of punctuality, 
regularity, and system which are elements of 
character. The mechanical arrangements of 
the school building to secure light, heat, sun- 
shine, and fresh air are presumed to contribute 
to character formation. Manual training, do- 
mestic science, nature study, school gardens, 
provide pleasant and profitable occupation and 
remove the temptation to idleness, besides de- 
veloping a respect for the property rights of 
others. Placing the child amid dignified and 
beautiful surroundings and in rooms tastefully 
decorated with good pictures is likewise thought 
to have an important influence on character. 
Good music and instruction in drawing and in 
other forms of hand-work is believed also to 
have an influence in the same direction. Beau- 
tiful thoughts and poems are memorized with 
the same objective in view. Then, too, the 
methods of teaching are so shaped as to place 
responsibility on the pupil, thereby developing 
initiative and self-reliance. Pupil organiza- 
tions, such as literary and debating societies, 
athletic associations, musical clubs, and similar 
forms of student-body activities, are encouraged 
because of the belief that they, too, are moral 
factors of a high order. All these contribute 
to the making of the school "atmosphere," which 



Appendix 169 

the most exacting critic of the American school- 
system must admit is highly moral. Granting 
that the "atmosphere" of our schools is moral, it 
must be seen from an examination of the means 
which have been cited to secure this result that 
they are unsystematic, indefinite, unscientific, 
and that the element of chance enters largely. 
It must also be observed from the illustrations 
given that the methods employed are those 
which tend to establish habits of conduct rather 
than the giving of ideas which may be service- 
able in directing conduct. 

In France and Japan, on the other hand, 
moral instruction in contrast to moral training 
is emphasized, for in both these countries such 
instruction is put on exactly the same basis as 
instruction in any other subject considered of 
value. In each a definite plan is outlined ex- 
tending throughout the entire school course; 
a definite time for such instruction is provided 
for in the school program ; and each teacher 
is expected to spend the allotted time in ac- 
cordance with the provisions of the plan. 

Practice in our own country places stress on 
moral training rather than on moral instruc- 
tion. The one aims at good habits ; the other 
at imparting moral ideas. The one emphasizes 
the educative power of the activities of the 
school community; the other emphasizes the 
didactic power of the school. 



170 Religious Education 

In this age, where conditions are rapidly 
changing, where each da}' sees a new alignment 
of the forces of good and evil, where almost 
hourly we are called upon to draw new moral 
distinctions and to shape our conduct in accord- 
ance therewith, it will not suffice to rest back 
upon the operation of instinct nor trust to the 
reactions which have become habitual through 
moral situations which have arisen in the 
schools. The "rule of thumb," serviceable in 
some departments of education, breaks down in 
the field of the moral and the ethical. To se- 
cure the ability to meet with strength new 
moral situations, or, what is the same thing, to 
identify the old moral principle in a new set- 
ting, in my judgment requires in addition to all 
this something more, namely, the process of 
conscious analysis, applied to moral situations, 
which is the natural accompaniment of the 
right kind of didactic instruction. 

To a degree this need, also, is being met by 
the public schools, for it is customary in each, 
whenever a lesson assigned in literature, in 
history, or in collateral reading presents an 
ethical problem, to analyze it into its elements 
and to seek to determine the conduct which 
rightly follows. To this extent, and this only, 
do the schools go in giving direct moral in- 
struction. -But at best such instruction is 
haphazard and lacking in system and definite- 



Appendix 171 

ness as well as completeness, for such lessons 
are assigned not because they teach moral 
truths, but because they conform to some other 
line of organization which the schools deem 
important. In a few cities in the United 
States (New York, Los Angeles, Berkeley, and 
some others whose names I do not recall) the 
school authorities have recognized the need for 
more systematic instruction in ethics and have 
provided their teachers with a comprehensive 
and detailed outline to be used in such instruc- 
tion. Even in these cities, however, the course 
is permissive and suggestive rather than ob- 
ligatory and, therefore, in reality, the whole 
matter is left entirely to the discretion of the 
individual teacher. 

In view of the foregoing considerations and 
after as careful an examination of the methods 
employed by France and Japan as one can 
make who has never visited either, I am con- 
vinced that our American schools will find that 
through the medium of direct moral instruction 
they can yet greatly increase the efficiency of 
their work in the field of the moral and ethical. 
To this view many of the leading educators of 
this country are rapidly coming. In 1907 the 
National Educational Association, to mention 
but one instance, at its Los Angeles meeting 
adopted the following resolution: "It is the 
duty of the teachers to enter at once upon a 



172 Religious Education 

systematic course of instruction which shall 
embrace not only a broader patriotism but a 
more extended course of moral instruction, es- 
pecially in regard to the rights and duties of 
citizenship, the right of property and the 
security and sacredness of human life." But 
when this shall have been accomplished and 
America shall have added systematic moral in- 
struction to the excellent moral training of 
her public schools, she will have gone as far 
in the approaches to religion as public opinion 
and the laws of the land will permit. 

I believe it is true that the educative pro- 
cess cannot be considered complete nor wholly 
vital unless it ministers to the threefold nature 
of each individual — the physical, the intellec- 
tual, and the religious. This does not neces- 
sarily presume that either the Church, the home, 
or the school must supply the whole of such 
education, but on the other hand it does mean 
that the individual himself, if he is being edu- 
cated in the truest sense, is receiving, from 
whatever sources, that training and that in- 
struction which will contribute to his physical, 
his intellectual, and his religious needs. 

The physical needs of our youth are being 
ministered to with constantly increasing dis- 
cernment and efficiency through such agencies 
as the public school, the Young Men's and 
Young Women's Christian Associations, the Boy 



Appendix 173 

Scout movement, the playground commission, 
and kindred organizations. The intellectual 
need of the future citizens is the particular 
problem of our schools, public and private. 
Whatever may be the defects of these institu- 
tions, without question the general level of the 
intelligence of the masses has been greatly raised 
because of their work. It now remains to ask, 
Does the educative process satisfy in the same 
hopeful way the third important need, which is 
the religious? 

Some would say that the moral training 
which the schools are giving satisfies reason- 
ably well this need, and that when the schools 
finally shall have gone as far in giving definite 
moral instruction as public opinion and the 
laws of the land will permit, then all the 
necessary demands of the individual's religious 
nature will have been met. Others on the other 
hand hold — and with them I agree — that mo- 
rality and religion have distinguishing charac- 
teristics which are fundamental, and that the 
one is by no means synonymous with the other; 
neither is the one, in the education of the 
individual, an adequate substitute for the other. 
The latter, while believing that in a complete 
education morality and religion are insepara- 
bly connected, in that the ultimate sanctions 
of all morality are found in religious faith, 
hold that for America at least, and for the 



174 Religious Education 

reasons already given, the teaching of the 
religious sanctions must be entrusted entirely 
to the family and to religious organizations. 
Those who agree with the position that the 
moral training of the schools is not adequate 
to supply the religious need must turn, there- 
fore, to the home and to the Church if they 
would know whether or not our youth are re- 
ceiving that which yet remains to make up 
an education which is both complete and vital. 
The power of the home in grounding its 
children in religious faith is beyond calcula- 
tion. No effort of Church or school or society 
can ever compensate if the home fails in this 
its great opportunity. It is not possible to 
estimate the advantage with which a young 
man begins life who at his mother's knee has 
acquired the habit of daily prayer; who dur- 
ing his entire young life has bowed his head 
before breaking bread, giving God thanks ; and 
who has gathered nightly with his sisters about 
the family altar and listened on bent knee 
while the father asks that God's blessing shall 
fall on each member of the houshold. Society's 
weaklings and misfits do not come from the 
ranks of these. But the daily prayers of the 
little children, the words of grace at meal- 
time, the practice of family worship, are be- 
coming obsolete. Except in rare instances these 
beautiful customs have disappeared from our 



Appendix 175 

homes, and with their passing the home has 
lost an invaluable ally in the begetting and 
nurturing of religious faith. 

It has remained for the Church, including 
its auxiliary organizations, to stand as the one 
institution which has consistently conserved the 
religious faith of our people. Like the school 
it has been subjected to much criticism. While 
some of the criticism which has been directed 
at it is doubtless merited, nevertheless it is 
true that the Church has been a powerful force 
for good among our people, and through its 
Sunday-schools, its parochial schools, its organ- 
izations for young people, and its club work 
among boys it has exerted a powerful influence 
on the lives of those who are affiliated there- 
with. For those of our youth who participate 
in its activities it offers the hopeful outlook 
for satisfying the religious need which is the 
third element in the complete education of 
which I have been speaking. While the result 
of a canvass which was made of our schools 
to-day shows that a much larger percentage 
of our school children come within the direct 
influence of the Church than I had thought, 
the proportion approximating fifty per cent., 
yet even this figure shows that only one child 
in every two is receiving religious instruction, 
for the children in the homes where such in- 
struction is given will be found, for the most 



176 Religious Education 

part, enrolled in the churches. Putting this 
fact another way, one-half of the children are 
receiving nothing more than the schools are 
giving, which, as we have seen, is limited to 
moral considerations alone, and yet doubtless 
the percentage is much higher in Berkeley than 
in many cities. We are forced, therefore, to 
conclude that for great numbers of our young 
people the educative process is not complete, 
and furthermore that it is incomplete just 
where many of us believe it should be the 
strongest. 

As it is clear that America can look only 
to her religious organizations for the ground- 
ing of her youth in religious faith and for 
the giving of the religious sanctions which 
underlie the moral training and instruction of 
her schools, it therefore remains to ask: 

1. How can the Churches make their work 
more vital and hence increase their hold on the 
masses ? 

2. How can the home and the school 
strengthen the place and position of the Church 
in the community in its work of religious 
instruction ? 

The discussion of recent years points the 
way as to the first : Securing more time ; pro- 
curing a better trained body of teachers ; ad- 
justing instruction to the age and understand- 
ing of the child; substituting concrete situa- 



Appendix 177 

tions for abstract generalizations; adapting 
the spirit of instruction to the spirit of youth ; 
giving as much attention and care in religious 
matters to the adolescent as the schools are 
doing in matters secular; organizing and grad- 
ing the content given — these suggestions and 
many more which have been offered will help. 
But we need to go farther and consciously seek 
means to uphold the hands of the Church in 
the community. This brings me to the dis- 
cussion of a plan wherein the school can ren- 
der signal service and yet do so without de- 
parting from the limitations placed upon it 
by law and by public opinion. 

In brief, the plan, which has been given some 
discussion in this country, though never placed 
in execution I believe, is this: To set apart 
a definite time during the weekly session of 
the schools when the regular work of the same 
will be suspended and the children dismissed 
to scatter among the religious organizations 
which they elect and by them to be given 
that particular form of religious instruction 
which the given organization believes will be 
most vital. To illustrate: The school officials 
of this city have it within their power to say, 
"We believe so strongly in the value of re- 
ligious instruction in providing a complete and 
vital education for each child that we are 
willing on each Wednesday morning to excuse 



178 Religious Education 

for half a day all children in the public schools 
whose parents desire them to spend that time 
at the several churches in religious study and 
worship." The time of those who do not de- 
sire such instruction could be spent profitably 
at the school in reviewing ground which has 
already been covered by the class. While the 
attendance of every child, during this particu- 
lar period, would be required, yet as between 
the Church and the school it could be made 
a matter of choice. 

There are no legal difficulties in the way 
of such an arrangement. I asked the State 
Superintendent of Public Instruction, Mr. Ed- 
ward Hyatt, who is our legal adviser in such 
matters, for an unofficial opinion on this point. 
He wrote me as follows: "I see no objection to 
the course you propose, either legally, morally, 
or in any other way. If you want a formal 
official opinion I shall write it for you any 
time you need it." 

The only objection from the side of the 
schools which I can see relates to the time 
which will thereby be taken from their usual 
work. While the time is all too short as it is, 
I am confident that the ultimate results in 
character, in seriousness of purpose, in attitude 
to work would more than compensate. If this 
were not so then there is nothing in religious 



Appendix 179 

instruction and the churches would better close 
their doors. 

The only objection which society at large 
could raise to this plan would be the fear that 
this division of the schools into groups would 
introduce sectarian oppositions, rivalries, and 
jealousies to the detriment of the nation. This 
might be a result were we considering some 
European nation where sectarian feeling runs 
high, and, indeed, it might have had this result 
in our own country a few generations ago; 
but I should not fear it now, for in this country 
such organizations have grown beyond the doc- 
trinal differences which in the past caused so 
much bitterness. There is such a spirit of 
tolerance among all our sects as to place one 
entirely at ease in respect to this danger. 
The very fact that you gentlemen of the Fed- 
eration of Ministers, representing practically 
every shade of religious belief, assemble from 
time to time in earnest discussion of questions 
of common interest relating to your work is 
sufficient assurance that this fear is un- 
grounded. 

There remain to be considered the objections 
which would be raised by the Church itself. 
These would relate only, I presume, to the dif- 
ficulties involved in carrying the plan into exe- 
cution. The chief of these would be that of 



180 Religious Education 

securing a sufficient force of well-equipped 
workers whose services could be commanded 
during the time set apart. The fact that this 
would have to be on some day other than 
Sunday would add to the difficulty. Each 
organization would have to adjust its machin- 
ery to the new demand in its own way, but I 
believe this can be done; at any rate it would 
seem that if a considerable demand of this 
character developed the Church ought to be 
resourceful enough to meet it. The adjust- 
ment would require time, but I think it entirely 
possible. 

There are no two institutions created by so- 
ciety which are more thoroughly grounded in 
the confidence of the people than the institu- 
tions of the Church and of the public school. 
Were the school's influence, which is now pas- 
sive with respect to the Church, actively ex- 
erted in support of the same, according to 
some such plan as this, I am confident that 
the attendance on such organizations as the 
Sunday-school would be increased greatly. 
Were the public school to say to the people: 
"We believe so thoroughly that a part of 
the time of each child should be spent in re- 
ligious training, instruction, and worship, to 
the end that his education may be complete 
and vital, that we have provided a time when 
this can be secured without detriment, and 



Appendix 181 

strongly urge you to send your children at 
this time to the church of your faith or pref- 
erence for such instruction as shall be given 
therein," I am confident that few would decline. 

In producing effective character the insti- 
tutions which society has created for the pur- 
pose of rearing and training its youth are 
facing to-day a task infinitely more difficult 
than ever before. The world of to-day is far 
more complex than was the world of our Puri- 
tan ancestors and makes infinitely greater de- 
mands upon the moral intelligence of its citi- 
zens. Our forefathers wrestled with forest and 
mountain and plain, with wild beasts and with 
wild men, with flood and famine and disease. 
The story of their victorious struggles is a 
thrilling one- — one of which we, their sons and 
daughters, may well be proud; but it was a 
struggle which required pre-eminently physical 
rather than moral courage. 

We talk of the sterling qualities of the 
American pioneer and grieve over what seems 
to us to be a decadence of moral fiber in our 
own time. We forget that the scene has shift- 
ed, that the setting is very different. It was 
easier for our forefathers to be frugal, for 
luxury was not visible at every turn; to be 
industrious, for he "who would not work did 
not eat"; to be home-centered, for neither du- 
ties nor pleasures were such as to draw the 



182 Religious Education 

parents away ; to be guileless in legislation, 
for there were no great corporations seeking 
favors; to be honest in business, for penalties 
for dishonesty were more immediate and hence 
more effective. In those days there was no 
tariff problem, no social problem, no slum prob- 
lem, no labor-union problem, no problem of 
business mergers, no problem as between em- 
ployer and employee, between producer and con- 
sumer, nor between the very rich and the very 
poor. Then man sought to master nature and 
to harness the forces of nature ; now man seeks 
to dominate society and to organize and direct 
in right channels the forces which have their 
sources in society. The first required physical 
hardihood and physical courage of high order; 
the latter requires the ability to draw fine dis- 
tinctions and the highest order of moral in- 
telligence and courage. In the first, instinct 
was the safe and sure guide to conduct; in 
the latter, conduct has no such mentor. In 
short it is harder to be good to-day than it 
was in the time of Roger Williams and Anne 
Hutchinson and Standish and Winthrop, and 
those who criticise our institutions for not se- 
curing finer moral standards fail to recognize 
that the modern world makes infinitely greater 
demands upon the moral intelligence of its citi- 
zens and that the problem of training to meet 
such demands is more difficult than ever before. 



Appendix 183 

Recognizing the seriousness of this task, it 
behooves the Church and the school to re- 
double their efforts to make the work of each 
increasingly effective. Since in this country 
there never will be a union of the two, let us 
seek to bring about co-operation. 



FROM THE REPORT OF THE SPECIAL 

COMMITTEE OF THE FEDERAL 

COUNCIL TO CONSIDER WAYS 

AND MEANS TO PROMOTE 

WEEK-DAY INSTRUCTION 

IN RELIGION. 

THE REV. GEORGE U. WENNER, D.D.* 

From conferences and correspondence with lead- 
ing educators and churchmen, as well as from ob- 
servation of the trend of discussion in ecclesiastical 
bodies and in periodicals, we have gained our im- 
pressions of the state of public opinion on the 
subject committed to our consideration. 

We note a deepening appreciation of the need 
of religion in the education of the young and 
a widespread interest in all plans that will further 
this end. 

A generation has grown up under the influence 
of a materialistic philosophy with a conception of 
life alien to the teachings of Christianity. 

*Chairman. Other members : W. M. Bell, J. Y. Boice, 
W. H. Boocoek. S. C, Brevfogel. J. B. Calvert, B. C. 
Davis. W. B. Derrick, R. Dubs, H. C. Griffith, 0. Huckel. 
M. L. Jennings. R. L. Kelly, M. W. Leibert, R. D. Lord, 
P. H. Milliken, R. W. Miller. F. M. North, G. W. Pepper, 
J. M. Philputt, A. Schmidt, A. B. Shelley. R. L. Ru- 
dolph, H. M. Sanders, H. A. Stimson. G." B. Stewart. 
M. Summerbell, J. C. Scouller, E. S. Tipple, E. Talbot, 
J. I. Vance, A. Vennema, A. Walters, G. B. Winton, J. 
Wood. 

184 



Appendix 185 

The Church, by her emphasis on the value of 
the individual soul, has sometimes overlooked her 
obligation to the community. By confining her 
work to the narrow circle of the parish or the 
denomination, she fails to reach many of those 
who do not belong to her immediate society. 

The public school, by reason of the independ- 
ence of Church and State, is unable to enforce the 
highest moral standards because it is unable to 
avail itself of the effective influence of religion. 

The lack of religious restraints, more than that, 
the lack of religious inspiration in the pursuit of 
high ideals, is generally acknowledged to be a 
serious defect in the American system of public 
education. 

With no disposition toward pessimism, we be- 
lieve that the state of society, from the standpoint 
of the Church or State, demonstrates the need 
of such a force as religion only can supply, and 
emphasizes the importance of more comprehen- 
sive and systematic instruction in religion than our 
present methods afford. 

Education does not mean the impartation of in- 
formation. It means the development of character. 

It is generally conceded that without religion 
there can be no true education. We do not con- 
found religion with dogma. We know very well 
that religion is a life. It cannot be taught. It 
must be imparted. But we also know that the 
Christian Church in her fellowship of faith, and in 
the Divine forces with which she has been en- 
dowed by her Master, has the resources that are 
required for the development of soul and char- 
acter which is the aim of all true education. 

On the other hand, the precepts of morality, un- 
supported by faith in God and the verities of 



186 Religious Education 

religion, are found to be incapable of producing 
the highest attainments in character. This is lead- 
ing many, who for a time have stood aloof from 
the Christian Church, to recognize her true func- 
tion as a teacher of the nations in the things that 
pertain to God and the eternal life. 

Here, then, is presented our great opportunity. 
Instead of being discouraged by the outlook, we 
now behold an open door through which we may 
enter in upon a field of largest usefulness and 
service. The very conditions that seemed to spell 
defeat will in due time prove to be the harbingers 
of victory. 

At the meeting in Philadelphia in 1908, the 
Federal Council by resolution endorsed the general 
principle, recognizing the duty of the churches to 
provide adequate religious instruction for their 
children and calling for more time to be given to 
this subject on week-days, in view of the fact that 
the hour at Sunday-school and the religious exer- 
cises of the public school do not meet the require- 
ments of "adequate religious instruction." 

A careful study of the situation, however, con- 
vinces us that we are confronted by conditions 
which prevent the immediate adoption of a prac- 
tical plan. 

A unanimous public opinion does not support 
our claim. It is not a time when moral and re- 
ligious considerations have compelling cogency, 
and it is not our purpose to introduce an element 
of confusion or strife. 

There are theoretical questions among ourselves, 
arising from diverse conceptions as to the rela- 
tions of Church and State. While the State con- 
cedes to some denominations the use of the entire 
week in the parochial school for the purpose of 



Appendix 187 

educating their children, there is a lurking tear 
that some principle would be violated if to other 
denominations were given even a portion of a 
single day. It will take time before some of these 
seeming inconsistencies can be reconciled. 

It is a question whether the churches would be 
prepared to avail themselves of the opportunity if 
it were given. The lack of pedagogical experience 
on the part of some of the ministers and the pau- 
city of men and women in our Protestant churches 
fitted for expert work in assisting the pastor, will 
for a time prove an objection to the plan. The 
inadequacy of educational material in our church 
buildings and schoolhouses would for some time 
hamper the churches in their educational work. 

Denominationalism, the identification of re- 
ligion with a certain theory of religion, makes it 
difficult for Protestants to unite upon an effective 
method of carrying out such a plan. 

The work of instruction in religion has for so 
long a time been delegated to other agencies, in 
our earlier history to the public school, subse- 
quently to the Sunday-school, that only a small 
percentage of our churches regard it as a distinct 
duty and function of the Church, as truly as 
preaching or public worship. Even in that holy 
of holies, the Christian family, not a foreign or 
independent society, but from the Christian view- 
point a part of the Church, there has been a 
marked neglect of this duty under the mistaken 
assumption that it is being adequately attended to 
by some other organization. 

Instruction in religion is a function of the 
Church, through its ordinary agencies, in par- 
ticular the ministry and the parents. Until the 
churches realize their obligations in respect to this 



188 Religious Education 

fundamental duty of the Christian communion, it 
may be premature to ask for privileges of which 
they would not and could not avail themselves. 

We are compelled, therefore, to concede the 
weight of these practical objections to our plan. 
We do so with sorrow, because we thus publish to 
the world the shortcomings of the Church. For 
we cannot forget that the Church is the mother 
of education. The public school system was not 
originally a creation of the State. It is the out- 
growth of the schools which the Church established 
for the promotion of religion. For generations 
she has failed to exercise the functions that prop- 
erly belong to her. She has transferred them to 
auxiliary organizations or has neglected them alto- 
gether, and now she justly suffers the consequences 
of atrophied powers. 

A question like this is too momentous to be 
settled by the resolution of a convention. It is 
a subject in which the churches themselves need 
to be educated and stimulated. They must realize 
their obligation and obtain a vision of their op- 
portunity. It will then be easy to provide ade- 
quate agencies and means for the accomplishment 
of the task that is set before us. 

We therefore recommend: 

1. That the Federal Council again place on 
record its resolutions of 1908: 

"That there can be no true and complete educa- 
tion without religion; to provide adequate religious 
instruction for their children is the duty of the 
churches, a primal and imperative duty. That the 
hour at Sunday-school, the religious exercises of 
the public school and the ethical instruction of the 
public school, through the personal influence of 
the great body of religious public school teach- 



Appendix 189 

ers, do not meet the requirements of adequate 
religious instruction. That to provide religious 
instruction for their children is not only the duty 
of churches, it is their inherited and inherent right, 
and this right should be recognized by the State 
in its arrangement of the course of school studies." 

2. That whenever and wherever public senti- 
ment warrants such a course, the public schools 
should be closed for half a day for the purpose 
of allowing the children to attend instruction in 
religion in their own churches. As compared with 
other Christian countries, an allotment of eight 
per cent, of school time for religion would not be 
an immoderate allowance. 

3. That where it is not feasible to obtain a 
portion of the time belonging to the school curric- 
ulum, the churches should see to it that after 
school hours on week-days, at least one hour's 
instruction in religion be given to each child of 
the congregation. 

4. That ecclesiastical bodies and theological 
seminaries be urged to give increased attention 
to the pedagogical training of candidates for the 
ministry. 

5. That as citizens, having in mind the highest 
ideals of education, we exercise care in the selec- 
tion of teachers and superintendents of public 
schools with respect to their religious character 
and the personal influence they would be likely to 
have upon their pupils. 

6. That we invite the National Education As- 
sociation, the Religious Education Association, and 
other Associations interested in this subject, to 
appoint committees to confer with our committee 
on ways and means for promoting week-day in- 
struction in religion. 



190 Religious Education 

7. That the further consideration of the subject 
be entrusted to the Federal Council's standing 
Committee on Education, with the request to re- 
port from time to time to the Executive Committee, 
and at the next meeting of the Federal Council. 



RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED AT THE FIRST 
MEETING OF THE FEDERAL 
COUNCIL HELD IN PHIL- 
ADELPHIA IN 1908 

1. That there can be no true and complete edu- 
cation without religion; to provide adequate re- 
ligious instruction for their children is the duty of 
the churches, a primal and imperative duty. 

2. That the hour at Sunday-school, the relig- 
ious exercises of the public school and the ethical 
instruction of the public school through the per- 
sonal influence of the great body of religious pub- 
lic school teachers do not meet the requirements 
of "adequate religious instruction." 

3. That to provide religious instruction for their 
children is not only the duty of the churches, it is 
their inherited and inherent right. But it is the 
duty of parents to give instruction to their chil- 
dren, and this right should be fully recognized by 
the state in its arrangement of the course of school 
studies, which right also calls for more time dur- 
ing the week-day to be given to religious instruc- 
tion in the homes and churches of our land. 

4. That we note with decided approval the 
measures which have been adopted in various sec- 
tions by which provision is being made by school 
authorities to enlarge the opportunity of parents 



Appendix 191 

and the churches to give systematic week-day re- 
ligious instruction to children. 

5. That this Federal Council appeals to the 
churches of America, to all ecclesiastical bodies, to 
the religious and secular press, to the educational 
boards of the Church and the State, to private in- 
dividual institutions, to all fathers and mothers, 
to all who desire that the children of this land may 
be brought up in the fear of God and the love of 
His truth, to exercise their right and responsibility 
as citizens in promoting the religious instruction 
of the young. 

6. We hereby invite the National Education 
Association and the Religious Education Associa- 
tion to appoint committees to confer with the com- 
mittee of this body to be appointed by its Execu- 
tive Committee, made up of at least one member 
from each of the constituent bodies of this Coun- 
cil, for the full consideration of ways and means 
to promote week-day religious instruction; the 
committee of this Council to report to the Execu- 
tive Committee, and at the next meeting of the 
Federal Council. 



SEP 20 1913 



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